Unlocking value in the blue economy

Malmo, Sweden, 30 October 2015 – The Namibian Ports Authority signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the World Maritime University (WMU) to enable the port manager to tap into the institution’s vast wealth of knowledge and information on marine and maritime affairs.

The university will support and contribute to Namports’s staff leadership and professional development through distance education, executive and professional development courses, leadership development consultancy services, and education through the university’s MSc programmes.
Announcing the Memorandum this week, Namport explained that the World Maritime University is a postgraduate educational institution founded in 1983 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which is a specialized agency of the United Nations. The university offers executive and professional development courses that meets the educational and capacity building needs of maritime countries.
Masters programmes for mid-career maritime professionals are offered in Maritime Environment & Ocean Management; Maritime Education & Training (Organisational Leadership); Maritime Safety & Environment Administration; Maritime Law and Policy; Port Management; and Shipping Management & Logistics.
The Memorandum sets terms by which the university and the ports authority will work together in specific areas, broadly defined to include shipping and port management, maritime safety and security, maritime environmental management and ocean governance.
The university will train at least three candidates per year. One candidate will be sponsored by Namport, while the other two candidates will be considered for fellowships by the university’s donors. Attendance will not only be limited to Namport employees but also will be extended to government employees.
Namport CEO, Mr Bisey Uirab emphasized the strategic potential of the ‘blue economy’ and the importance of human capacity building to meet industry needs as the motivation for the Memorandum of Understanding. “In terms of our National Development goals contained in NDP 4, one of the key Vision 2030 activators is for the country to become a transport and logistics hub. In order to attain this ideal the right skills and capacity has to be nurtured that will drive the success of this goal. Namibia is also blessed with vast oceans whose potential is currently under tapped” he said.
In the context of Namport’s broader strategic plan, the Memorandum is intended to unlock more value in the local blue economy.
Dr Felix Musukubili, Namport’s HR Executive said the immediate need is to prepare the human capacity to manage and operate the new container terminal, currently under construction and estimated to be inaugurated at the end of 2017.
The MoU was signed by Namport CEO Mr Bisey Uirab, and WMU president Dr Cleopatra Duombia-Henry. The signing was witnessed by the Namibian Ambassador to Sweden, HE Morino Muundjo.
In another development, Namport also signed a Service Level Agreement with the TransNet Maritime School of Excellence, in Durban, South Africa to address the soft and operational specialized and statutory mandatory training in port and maritime operations. The Transnet Maritime School of Excellence is an equally renowned maritime school offering a variety of operational courses in maritime and port operational programmes.
These programmes include among others: Marine Pilot Training; Skipper Port Operations; Motoman Grades; Engineering Port Operations; Dredging Training Programme; Shorehand; Master Port Operations; Ship – to – Shore Cranes; Supervisory Development Programme and Port Worker Development Programme.
“These programmes are all relevant for our employees and operational needs for Namport. Ultimately, we would desire to achieve required skills competencies at all levels of our operations, from the general worker on the quay side, to marine pilots and engineers, supervisors, management and up to executive level in the organization. We value every individual’s efforts and contribution in our value chain” said Dr Musukubili.
The Service Level Agreement between Namport and the Transnet Maritime School of Excellence was signed by Dr Musukubili and Ms Nonkululeko Sishi, the Group Human Resources Executive of Transnet.