Representatives from the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority, the Namibian Ports Authority and the Port of Cork served as assessors on the Dissertation Panel held in Malé, Maldives on 5–6 December 2012, marking the first exchange of jury members among the English-speaking port communities.
Ten middle-level managers from the port community in the Maldives successfully defended their final work in front of the Dissertation Panel in Malé on 5 and 6 December 2012, bringing to completion the second cycle of the Port Training Programme in the Maldives.
After a coaching workshop, hosted from 2 to 4 December by Maldives Ports Limited and the Maldives Customs Service, the representatives from Ghana, Ireland and Namibia participated as jury members for the Dissertation Panel in the Maldives, promoting triangular cooperation among port communities.
As part of the thorough programme of training, participants must complete all eight modules of the Modern Port Management course. In addition, they have to write a dissertation and defend it in front of a panel of international experts. The goal of the dissertation is for port managers to construct a detailed and practical plan that they can then put into practice in their respective ports. If successful, participants are awarded the UNCTAD Port Certificate.
The research carried out by the participants from Maldives Ports Limited was on the following topics: Hosting E-Services Model in Malé Commercial Harbour, Study of Equipment Usage and Maintenance in Maldives Ports Limited, Correlation Between Efficiency and Motivation Level of Port Workers, Privatization of Kulhudhuffushi Port, Importance of Malé Port to Trade and Economy of the Country, Container Terminal Management System for Malé Port, Limited Capacity as a Future Challenge to Malé Commercial Harbour, Implementing Container Repairing Services in Maldives Ports Limited, Prevention of Terminal Vehicle Accidents in Malé Commercial Harbour, and Establishing Occupational Health and Safety Measures in Maldives Ports Limited.
The Port Training Programme of the English-speaking network is supported by Irish Aid, the Dublin Port Company, and the Port of Cork, and additionally by Belfast Harbour Commissioners.
Mr. Abdul Matheen Ahmed, Chairman of Maldives Ports Limited, expressed his appreciation of the Programme as a vital tool in developing skilled human resources in port communities. He said: "UNCTAD's port training programme has helped to enhance participants' knowledge, thanks to the sharing of knowledge and expertise. The programme has not only enhanced participants' knowledge, but their motivation too. I strongly believe that the UNCTAD Port Training Programme is effective in promoting interregional cooperation and has worked for the betterment of the global port sector. We look forward to continuing to collaborate with UNCTAD to develop our human resources."
Mr. Surahabeel Waheed, one of the successful participants from this second cycle, who also won the prizes for Best Overall Performance and Best Dissertation, thanked UNCTAD on behalf of the participants. During the closing ceremony, he said: "Having survived the course, our exams, and the dissertation, I think we should be proud to have made it here in one piece. But in all seriousness, today is a milestone for each one of us. Therefore, we owe the UNCTAD TrainForTrade Programme our deepest thanks for navigating us to a better future, and navigating our ports to better achievements."
Back row: the ten successful candidates
