Tag Archive for: Port of Civitavecchia

The Ports of Rome and Lazio, the Italian “Community” boosting the training of logistics operators of the future

Guiliana Satta

Written by: Giuliana Satta, Port Authority of Civitavecchia

At a difficult and uncertain time such as the one linked to the pandemic crisis due to Covid-19, projects such as “Youth Employment in the Ports of the Mediterranean” are of fundamental importance, especially in view of the messages, at the European level, that are becoming the basis for the future and that are at the heart of the Italian National Recovery and Resilience Plan. Today, more than ever, it is necessary to reverse development models and in every sector. And this is what is being done through the YEP MED project, co-financed by the European Union’s ENI and led by the Escola Europea, and in which the Port System Authority of the Central-Northern Tyrrhenian Sea is the only Italian partner present. With the contribution of the entire local port logistics community, which was formed last March following the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding, the project aims to increase and improve employment opportunities through the creation of real dual learning programmes with job placements, therewith strengthening the role of Small and Medium Enterprises operating in port ecosystems for future jobs creation.

The port of Civitiavecchia

In today’s historical moment, the Italian Port Authority is focusing on specific training of human capital to increase the skills of each individual port operator. To ensure that this can happen, it is essential to strengthen cooperation between actors who, on a voluntary basis, as happened with the creation of the Port Logistics Community (‘Community’), a. re willing to build a common strategy to contribute to the competitiveness of the entire port system in Lazio through the development of professionalism. Together with the “Community”, the Ports of Rome and Lazio will be able to build a global strategy in relation to the development and training of human resources that will have to be in line with the new demands of the labour market. To achieve these objectives, they are working closely with specialised training institutions to develop appropriate training programmes and establishing national and transnational partnerships with members of other port communities to exchange knowledge and best and most suitable practices.

The “Community”, made up of operators, associations and institutions, will hold regular meetings which will be coordinated by the representatives of the Port Authority. This will be done on the basis of a programme that will incorporate an annual calendar and a list of training activities. The sectors in which the Port Authority will focus on will concern Ro/Ro cargo traffic and the reception of large container ships in particular, with the YEP MED project aiming to play a major role in this new phase of maritime transport and logistics.

Container traffic at the Port of Civitavecchia has been consistently growing

Another important element in this initiative of the Ports of Rome and Lazio is a view to create new and foster existing commercial links with the countries of North Africa, with the ultimate aim of better improving the cooperation between the ports of the North and South of the Mediterranean. The entire port community believes in this interesting project, which incorporates 11 partners representing 7 countries from around the Mediterranean – an area in which the port of Civitavecchia is aiming to foster growth in the coming years. Today, in order to assess the growth and strength of a port, human capital is a fundamental element: it is the actions, energy, skills, strength and enthusiasm of the people that make the difference in successful port operations. Hence the importance of the YEP MED project. Vocational and educational training are essential for the training of the workforce, particularly the technical and highly specialised workforce that should live and gravitate in and around ports. For this reason, it is necessary to develop increasingly articulated professionalism in relation to the transformations imposed on shipping and logistics by the computerisation and digitalisation of processes, which will bring about more radical changes in the next five years than those that have taken place in the last 50 years. Therefore, having a high level of professionalism today and training young people will allow us to have a growing human capital for the next 30/35 years, with prepared professionals who will be protagonists of the positive change.

The port of Civitavecchia to host the new Italian headquarters of the Escola Europea

The port of Civitavecchia, headquarters of the Port Authority of Centre-North Tyrrhenian Sea in Italy, will now also be the host of the Italian headquarters of the Escola Europea – Intermodal Transport.

The decision was approved at the Steering Committee meeting of the European training centre that took place on the 12th of April at the facilities of the Italian port.

Representatives of the Escola’s partners attended the meeting, which included: Francesco Maria di Majo, president of the host port; Sixte Cambra, president of the Port of Barcelona and of the Escola Europea; Paolo Emilio Signorini, counterpart of the Port Authority of the Western Liguria Sea (ports of Genoa); Guido Grimaldi, Commercial Director of the Grimaldi Group; and Antonio Pedevilla, Director of Operations of GNV. During the gathering the Escola’s activities carried out in 2017 were approved, and the projects in which the Escola is involved in a formative as well as in a communication capacity were explained. Likewise, the planned initiatives and courses for 2018 were summarised.

The president of the Escola Europea, Sixte Cambra, opened the meeting by sharing the magnificent results of the past year. 36 courses were carried out that counted with the participation of 1,300 participants, representing an increase of 50% in the number of courses and 47% in the number of participants compared to 2016. Thirty-eight technical workshops were held on port terminals (with 1,430 participants), showing a further 25% increase over the previous year. In total, the Escola’s team carried out 74 training activities, with 2,730 students from 46 countries and with the participation of 35 training centres. 75% of the students came from Europe, 20% from America and 5% from Africa.

56% of the activities were conducted in languages other than Spanish, and for the first time one of the courses took place beyond European borders, in Morocco.

More data: 54% of the participants were professionals or students of current university degrees and post-graduates and / or linked to companies in the transport sector.

Finally, the quality of the courses was rated more than satisfactory: an average of 4.39 out of 5 was rated by the course participants, demonstrating excellence in training and experience. This certifies that the teachers, the organization and the means made available to the students were more than adequate to meet the expectations of the students.

During the meeting, the Escola team presented the TransLogMED project, labelled by the Union for the Mediterranean and approved by the European Commission and the countries that make up this organization. The project aims to promote regional integration across the Mediterranean by favouring and facilitating the development of the Motorways of the Sea and the creation of jobs in the transport and logistics sector, offering specialized and quality professional training. TransLogMED plans to organize more than 30 activities, including courses and seminars, with an approximate scope of one thousand professionals from the sector coming from Italy, Spain, Morocco, Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt and Jordan.