Dublin Port has been chosen as the United Nation's partner to deliver training to ports in English-speaking countries in the developing world. The partnership was announced at a major three-day UN Conference on Trade and Development (Unctad) which began in Dublin Castle yesterday.
Unctad's TrainforTrade programme helps ports in developing countries attract and generate trade, while also improving standards in safety and environmental management, the adoption of updated information systems and handling and commercial practices.
"In the era of globalisation, efficiency plays a vital role," said Peter Froehler, head of new technologies, training and capacity building at Unctad.
"Whole trade flows could disappear from inefficient ports and this leads to devastating effects on the local economy."
Requests for assistance from English language countries follow the success of Unctad projects for French- and Portuguese-speaking port communities in Africa.
Training in areas such as trade and international transport; port organisation; economic and commercial management of ports; and technical, administrative, and legal management will be delivered by a distance learning course.
Earlier this year, Dublin Port Company in partnership with FÁS launched Ireland's first maritime transport learning and development network for the Dublin Port estate, which has already attracted 30 companies and 2,500 employees using the port.
"Our involvement in the TrainForTrade programme demonstrates that the company is well placed to share our knowledge and skills with ports of developing countries to help them develop their human resources in the port sector and build their economies," said Dublin Port chief executive Enda Connellan.
He said the partnership was voluntary and cost neutral. "We're not in this to make money," he said, but added that it could lead to agreements with other ports.
Earlier this year, Dublin Port agreed a joint venture with the Indonesian government to build a $900 million (€668 million) container terminal at Sabang Port in Aceh.
