Saudi Ports Authorities
20 February 2009
LJMU’s positive links with Saudi Ports Authorities were further strengthened by a recent visit to the University by the President of the Authorities, Dr Khalid Bubshait.
Dr Bubshait led a delegation of senior personnel from the Authorities that included Mr Ahmed Abulhamayl (Secretary to the President), Dr Hamoud Al’Saadi (Director General of King Fahd Industrial Port, Yanbu), and Captain Mohamed Al’Tweijri (Director of Operations and Marine, Jeddah Islamic Port).
The visit follows the signing, last year, of a major contract between LJMU and the Saudi Ports Authorities for the University to deliver professional maritime training to Saudi Ports employees.
The contract, now well underway, will see LJMU deliver a suite of training programmes and port simulation, including a Diploma in Port Operations, a Diploma in Local Pilotage, and a BSc (Hons) Marine Science, all preceded by an intensive English language course specially designed for maritime students. The University is also developing additional bespoke courses for the Authorities, such as diplomas in marketing, law, management, and logistics, and an industrial safety training course.
On arrival, the delegates joined by Captain Al’Harbi (Director General – Dhiba Port) who is currently undertaking an intensive English course at LJMU, were taken on a tour of Lairdside by Commander Phil Russ. Here they experienced the 360 degree field of view ship’s bridge simulator and observed the current cohort of Pilotage students berthing the ship into Jeddah Port. After meeting the students and discussing their progress, the delegates had lunch and an opportunity to meet some of the LJMU staff who are key to the successful delivery of the contract.
The lunch, and detailed business meetings which followed it, provided an opportunity for Saudi Port Authorities personnel to get to know some of the LJMU team involved in the delivery of the current contract. Discussions took place around the content of the CPD in Industrial Port Safety and Security and the proposed bespoke MSc Port Management that will be starting later this year. The group also explored the potential for developing and expanding the ways in which the University supports the Authorities over the coming years. The day ended with a tour of the Seaforth Docks.
The Saudi Ports Authorities operates eight ports, including three major container terminals, two of which are on the Red Sea (Jeddah Port), with the third being in the Arabian Gulf (Dammam) plus two ship repair yards. In the past two decades Saudi Ports have handled more than 1,300 million tons of imports and exports. This equates to 12,000 ships visiting Saudi ports every year - roughly one ship every 30 minutes.
The LJMU training contract is designed to help the Saudi Ports Authorities develop its workforce in parallel with the planned expansion and development of its ports. A visit is currently being planned for LJMU delegates to visit Saudi Arabia in March to sign further extensions to the contract.
