18/02/2015

OCHA, the training centre for dock workers in the port of Antwerp, is to collaborate with APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Center to organise joint courses for dock workers and operators from ports in other countries.

The new courses will meet the growing demand for specialist training in various growth countries, say the parties.

OCHA and APEC will collaborate in the development, promotion and execution of the training courses. OCHA will be responsible for developing the courses and providing the trainers in Belgium and abroad, while APEC will take care of the international promotion and coordination with international delegations. The two parties have defined the terms of their collaboration in a Memorandum of Understanding, which also aims to promote a positive image of the port of Antwerp and its highly skilled workers abroad, in particular in other maritime countries.

APEC is well-known internationally, but this MoU has grown out of another Memorandum of Understanding that was signed with Secretaria de Portos da Presidencia da Republica in Brazil. In addition to local seminars that were organised by APEC in the main port cities of Brazil, various ‘Train the Trainer’ courses were given for Brazilian dock workers in collaboration with OCHA.

OCHA has simulators for teaching them how to operate straddle carriers, mobile cranes and gantry cranes in a safe, efficient way. More than 450 training sessions are organised every year in the 35,000 m² training facility, including ‘Train the Trainer’ courses.

See more at: http://www.worldcargonews.com/htm/w20150218.982186.htm