Maritime Transport Operations Training Course

Duration 10 days 21 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Vessel Operations Officers, Shipping Operations Coordinators and others
Fee from USD 2,200 KSh 190,000 for Kenyan organisations
Where 52 cities + online See dates by city
Next start 16 Nov 2026 Course code SD-MP-032

Before you join: Participants should have basic familiarity with shipping, freight forwarding, port operations, logistics or supply-chain coordination.

Dates & prices

Two start dates a month in every city, and live online on weekdays or weekends. Fees are per participant; classroom fees include tuition, materials, lunch and refreshments, and the certificate.

Suggest a date or city

Showing the next six months. Later dates, other cities and private deliveries for your team are available on request.

Course overview

Maritime transport operations depend on decisions made hours or days before a vessel arrives: accepting cargo, selecting ports, issuing instructions, confirming berth windows, planning bunkers, managing documents and responding to disruption. Poor vessel schedules create missed connections, congestion exposure, demurrage, cargo claims, avoidable fuel costs and strained customer relationships. Operations teams need to balance commercial commitments with vessel capability, port restrictions, regulatory duties and changing conditions at sea and ashore.

This course develops the practical knowledge required to plan and control vessel voyages and liner service schedules. Participants examine vessel types, cargo flows, chartering relationships, port call processes, berth and terminal coordination, stowage constraints, bunkering, voyage cost control, laytime, demurrage, documentation and operational risk. They use port-call milestones, critical-path scheduling, voyage estimates, bunker calculations, schedule-recovery methods and exception-management procedures to make defensible operating decisions.

Instruction is delivered over 10 days in a classroom in more than 50 cities or live online. Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides approximately 6.5 contact hours. Short instructor briefings are combined with shipping cases, scheduling simulations, operational calculations, group reviews and individual application planning. Participants build components of a vessel operations file during the first week, then refine it through disruption, cost and compliance scenarios during the second week. They leave with a completed vessel voyage and port-call operating plan, supported by schedules, cost estimates, checklists and decision records.

The course is suited to professionals who coordinate vessel calls, cargo movements, terminal interfaces or shipping documentation and who need stronger command of the links between commercial agreements and daily operating control.

What you will be able to do

  • Construct vessel voyage schedules using port-call milestones, sailing times and operational constraints
  • Prepare voyage estimates covering freight, port charges, bunkers, canal dues and contingency costs
  • Coordinate port calls through berth-window planning, agent instructions and terminal readiness checks
  • Apply laytime and demurrage principles when reviewing charter-party operational events
  • Assess stowage, cargo compatibility and dangerous-goods constraints before loading decisions
  • Use critical-path and schedule-recovery techniques to manage delays and missed connections
  • Produce compliant operational documentation using IMO FAL, cargo and voyage reporting requirements
  • Present a complete vessel operations plan supported by schedule, cost, risk and contingency analyses

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Build credible vessel schedules from real port, cargo and sailing constraints
  • Calculate voyage costs and explain the commercial effect of operational decisions
  • Handle port-call delays with structured recovery and escalation actions
  • Interpret charter-party events affecting laytime, demurrage and dispatch
  • Present operational recommendations clearly to agents, terminals and commercial teams

For your organisation

  • Fewer avoidable delays caused by incomplete port-call preparation and instructions
  • Improved schedule reliability through earlier identification of critical-path risks
  • Better voyage margin control through disciplined bunker and port-cost monitoring
  • Reduced exposure to cargo incidents through stronger stowage and documentation checks
  • More consistent coordination between commercial, vessel, port and customer-facing teams

Course modules

21 modules over 10 days

Participants can distinguish the principal maritime transport models and their operating implications.

  • Liner, tramp and industrial shipping models and their operating constraints
  • Roles of owners, operators, charterers, managers, agents and terminals
  • Ship types matched to cargo characteristics, routes and port infrastructure
  • Service strings, rotations and network design in container liner operations
  • Voyage stages from fixture confirmation through cargo discharge and closure
  • Operating interfaces between commercial, marine, port, cargo and finance teams

Participants can assess vessel capabilities and restrictions relevant to voyage planning.

  • Deadweight, gross tonnage, TEU capacity and cargo-carrying limitations
  • Draft, air draft and under-keel clearance constraints at ports
  • Speed-consumption curves used for sailing-time and bunker planning
  • Cargo gear, hatch dimensions and loading equipment compatibility checks
  • Ballast, stability and trim considerations affecting cargo operations
  • Class, flag and statutory certificates verified before voyage execution

Participants can translate cargo bookings into feasible vessel and port operating requirements.

  • Booking acceptance checked against capacity, equipment and cut-off dates
  • Cargo readiness milestones from shipper confirmation through terminal gate-in
  • Container, breakbulk, bulk and project cargo handling differences
  • Reefer cargo monitoring requirements, plug availability and temperature instructions
  • Out-of-gauge cargo planning using dimensions, lifting plans and securing requirements
  • Cargo allocation decisions based on port sequence and discharge accessibility

Participants can construct a workable voyage schedule from operational time elements.

  • Port-call milestones mapped from pilot boarding to sailing clearance
  • Sailing-time calculations using distance, speed, weather allowance and currents
  • Berth windows incorporated into voyage schedules and customer commitments
  • Critical Path Method applied to linked vessel, terminal and cargo activities
  • Schedule buffers sized for congestion, weather and operational uncertainty
  • ETA, ETB, ETC and ETD updates controlled through event-based reporting

Participants can prepare a port-call plan that aligns vessel, agent, terminal and authority actions.

  • Port-call checklist covering notices, documents, services and clearances
  • Agent appointment instructions defining scope, authority and reporting cadence
  • Pre-arrival notifications submitted within port and authority deadlines
  • Pilotage, towage, mooring and launch services planned against vessel requirements
  • Berth suitability assessed through draft, length, gear and tidal restrictions
  • Port-call timeline issued to internal teams, agents and terminal counterparts

Participants can coordinate terminal interfaces and identify threats to berth productivity.

  • Berth allocation principles balancing vessel priority, cargo readiness and terminal capacity
  • Terminal productivity measured through berth productivity and crane performance indicators
  • Load and discharge sequences aligned with stowage and terminal constraints
  • Cut-off times managed for cargo, manifests, dangerous goods and documentation
  • Yard congestion effects assessed before confirming loading and delivery windows
  • Terminal meeting agendas structured around readiness, exceptions and departure targets

Participants can evaluate stowage decisions against cargo safety and operational requirements.

  • Stowage plans checked for port sequence, accessibility and weight distribution
  • IMDG Code segregation rules applied to dangerous-goods loading decisions
  • Cargo compatibility assessed for contamination, moisture and temperature exposure
  • Lashing and securing requirements matched to cargo, vessel and route conditions
  • Heavy-lift cargo reviewed against crane capacity and deck-strength limits
  • Pre-loading inspections recorded using cargo-condition and damage-reporting procedures

Participants can interpret operational obligations arising from chartering arrangements and voyage orders.

  • Voyage, time and bareboat charter structures compared for operating responsibility
  • Fixture recap terms translated into voyage instructions and control points
  • Laycan periods monitored against vessel position and cargo readiness
  • Notice of Readiness requirements checked before commencement of laytime
  • Port rotation changes assessed against charter-party and cargo obligations
  • Master's instructions reconciled with commercial orders and safety limitations

Participants can maintain event records that support laytime and demurrage review.

  • Laytime definitions interpreted from charter-party clauses and fixture recaps
  • Statement of Facts compiled from verified port and terminal events
  • Time sheets calculated using commencement, exceptions and completion rules
  • Demurrage exposure estimated from contractual rates and delay durations
  • Dispatch calculations distinguished from freight and port-cost settlements
  • Protest letters and reservation notices issued when operational facts differ

Participants can prepare a voyage estimate and monitor its cost assumptions.

  • Voyage estimate structure covering revenue, bunkers, ports and canal dues
  • Freight income calculated using cargo quantity, rate basis and surcharges
  • Port cost estimates built from tariffs, agency quotes and service requirements
  • Canal transit costs checked against vessel dimensions, tonnage and booking status
  • Contingency allowances assigned to identifiable operational cost risks
  • Actual-versus-estimate variance analysis used for post-voyage cost review

Participants can plan bunker requirements while accounting for fuel cost, consumption and compliance.

  • Bunker requirement calculations based on consumption, distance and reserve policy
  • Speed optimisation assessed against freight commitments and fuel expenditure
  • Fuel grades selected for machinery requirements and emission-control areas
  • Bunker port selection compared by price, availability, deviation and reliability
  • Bunker delivery notes checked for quantity, quality and regulatory declarations
  • MARPOL fuel records maintained through voyage, port and changeover events

Participants can control key voyage and cargo documents through a port-call workflow.

  • Bills of lading checked for parties, cargo description and release status
  • Cargo manifests reconciled with bookings, stowage plans and terminal records
  • IMO FAL forms prepared for arrival, crew and ship's stores reporting
  • Dangerous-goods declarations validated against IMDG Code documentation requirements
  • UN/EDIFACT shipping messages mapped to booking, manifest and status events
  • Document-control register maintained for versions, approvals and transmission evidence

Participants can identify operational compliance requirements affecting vessel calls and cargo movements.

  • SOLAS obligations linked to safe operation, certificates and cargo information
  • ISPS Code security levels considered during port-call access planning
  • MARPOL controls applied to waste, emissions and pollution-prevention records
  • Port State Control inspection risks identified from operational documentation gaps
  • Sanctions screening escalated when cargo, counterparties or ports raise concerns
  • Customs reporting deadlines integrated with vessel arrival and departure milestones

Participants can assess voyage risks and select proportionate mitigation actions.

  • Weather-routing inputs assessed for safety, schedule and fuel implications
  • Seasonal route risks identified for cyclones, ice, monsoons and fog
  • Risk register entries defined by cause, consequence, owner and treatment
  • Bow-tie analysis applied to cargo loss and port-delay scenarios
  • Go-no-go decisions documented against safety, commercial and regulatory criteria
  • Contingency ports selected using distance, services, draft and security factors

Participants can formulate recovery plans for common vessel and port disruptions.

  • Delay classification separates weather, berth, cargo, mechanical and documentation causes
  • Recovery options compared using time, cost, safety and customer impacts
  • Port omission decisions tested against cargo commitments and network consequences
  • Speed-up scenarios calculated against fuel burn, engine limits and ETA gains
  • Transhipment alternatives assessed for capacity, connection risk and customer priority
  • Exception logs maintained with actions, deadlines, owners and escalation triggers

Participants can issue clear operational updates and escalate decisions at the right time.

  • Port-call instructions written with actions, deadlines, contacts and confirmation requirements
  • Situation reports distinguish facts, assumptions, impacts and requested decisions
  • ETA revision notices issued using agreed event triggers and distribution lists
  • Escalation matrix applied to safety, delay, cost and customer-service thresholds
  • Shift handovers documented through status, risks, pending actions and commitments
  • Stakeholder communication plans matched to agents, terminals, customers and management

Participants can use operational measures to identify and improve service performance.

  • Schedule reliability measured against published arrival and departure commitments
  • Port stay analysed through arrival, berth, cargo and departure timestamps
  • Berth productivity compared using moves, tonnes or units per hour
  • Bunker performance reviewed against planned consumption and actual voyage conditions
  • Delay Pareto analysis identifies recurring causes requiring corrective action
  • Weekly operations dashboard combines service, cost, cargo and risk indicators

Participants can manage cargo exceptions while protecting contractual and service commitments.

  • Cargo rollover decisions prioritised using contractual obligations and customer impact
  • Misdeclared cargo incidents contained through documentation, stowage and safety checks
  • Damage claims evidence preserved through surveys, photographs and event records
  • Reefer exceptions escalated using temperature logs, alarms and inspection reports
  • Delivery delays communicated with revised milestones and agreed recovery actions
  • Customer-impact assessment linked to cargo value, perishability and supply commitments

Participants can integrate vessel, cargo, port and cost data into a controlled voyage plan.

  • Voyage planning workbook links schedule, cargo, costs, risks and responsibilities
  • Port-call readiness reviews test information completeness before operational commitment
  • Decision gates established for cargo acceptance, bunker ordering and port confirmation
  • Integrated timeline reconciles vessel movement, terminal activity and document deadlines
  • Change-control log records revised assumptions, approvals and stakeholder notifications
  • Operational assurance review checks plan against safety, compliance and commercial requirements

Participants can align commercial, marine and port stakeholders around shared operating priorities.

  • RACI matrix assigns accountability for voyage, port and cargo decisions
  • Daily operations meeting structure focuses on constraints, decisions and commitments
  • Commercial promises tested against vessel capability and terminal operating realities
  • Master-agent-terminal coordination protocols clarify authority and reporting responsibilities
  • Conflicting priorities resolved using safety, contractual and financial decision criteria
  • Post-voyage review captures lessons, actions, owners and due dates

Participants can build, review and present a complete vessel voyage and port-call operating plan for a defined service scenario.

  • Service scenario analysed for vessel, cargo, port and commercial constraints
  • Integrated schedule built with milestones, buffers, dependencies and reporting triggers
  • Voyage estimate prepared for freight, bunkers, ports, canals and contingencies
  • Port-call pack assembled with agent instructions, readiness checks and document controls
  • Disruption response plan specifies recovery actions, escalation thresholds and communications
  • Peer review tests assumptions, compliance, cost exposure and schedule feasibility
  • Operating plan presented with recommendations, trade-offs and accountable next actions

Exercises and examples are adapted to each cohort's sectors and roles.

What you take back to work

  1. Vessel voyage scheduling template
  2. Port-call planning checklist
  3. Voyage estimate model
  4. Laytime event-record template
  5. Schedule disruption response plan
  6. Integrated vessel operations plan

Who should attend

  • Vessel Operations Officers — coordinate voyages, port calls and operational instructions
  • Shipping Operations Coordinators — need stronger control of schedules and service disruptions
  • Port Operations Supervisors — manage vessel, terminal and berth interfaces
  • Chartering Assistants — support fixture execution, laytime records and voyage calculations
  • Freight Forwarding Managers — coordinate cargo handovers with carrier schedules and port events
  • Maritime Logistics Professionals — require practical vessel and port operating knowledge

Skills and tools covered

Vessel schedulingPort-call coordinationVoyage cost controlCargo operationsLaytime analysisMaritime compliance

Tools and standards

Critical Path Method, IMO FAL Convention, ISPS Code, UN/EDIFACT

How the course runs

Training methodology

The course uses short technical briefings followed by shipping cases, calculations, document reviews and facilitated group work. Participants interpret vessel schedules, port restrictions, cargo requirements and charter-party events, then make operating decisions under changing conditions. Scheduling simulations introduce weather delays, berth changes, cargo readiness failures and bunker constraints. Trainers provide worked examples of voyage estimates, port-call instructions and exception logs. Individual application planning helps participants adapt the course methods to their own services, vessels, terminals or customer accounts.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have basic familiarity with shipping, freight forwarding, port operations, logistics or supply-chain coordination. Experience reading shipping schedules, cargo documents, purchase orders or transport instructions is useful. The course assumes confidence with basic arithmetic, including percentages, time calculations and spreadsheet entries. Participants do not need prior sea-going experience, a maritime licence, advanced chartering knowledge or technical naval architecture training. Those new to shipping should be prepared to work with operational terminology, port-call timelines and commercial documents from the first module.

A typical training day

08:30 – 10:30First session
10:30 – 10:45Refreshment break
10:45 – 12:30Second session
12:30 – 13:30Lunch and networking
13:30 – 15:00Third session
15:00 – 15:15Refreshment break
15:15 – 16:30Workshop and daily review

Live online deliveries follow the same structure in East Africa Time, with shorter screen blocks and longer breaks.

What the fee includes

  • Instruction by a practitioner facilitator
  • Full course workbook and materials
  • Exercise files, templates and case studies
  • Refreshments and lunch on classroom deliveries
  • Certificate of completion
  • Post-course application plan

Frequently asked questions

Participants should have basic familiarity with shipping, logistics, freight forwarding, ports or transport operations. No sea-going licence, chartering qualification or advanced technical maritime background is required.

Participants should bring a laptop for calculations, templates and planning work where possible. They may also bring anonymised vessel schedules, port-call procedures, cargo documents or operating issues from their workplace.

It is designed for vessel operations staff, port and terminal personnel, chartering support teams, freight forwarders and maritime logistics professionals. It is particularly useful for staff moving from coordination roles into responsibility for operational decisions.

This course concentrates on daily control of voyages, vessel schedules, port calls, cargo operations and disruption response. Port management courses focus more on terminal or port governance, while shipping economics courses focus more heavily on markets, finance and investment.

Participants can use the scheduling, port-call, voyage-estimate and exception-management templates with their own services or vessel calls. The methods support better coordination with agents, terminals, masters, commercial teams and customers.

The first week establishes vessel, cargo, port-call, scheduling and cost-control methods while participants begin their operating plan. The second week addresses compliance, disruption, performance and stakeholder coordination before the final capstone review and presentation.

Questions about this course?

Ask about dates, fees, group bookings or running it for your team. Our training team replies by email.