Port and Terminal Management Training Course

Duration 10 days 16 modules · 65 contact hours
Level Intermediate Certificate on completion
Who attends Terminal Operations Managers, Port Authority Managers 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-028

Before you join: Participants should have practical exposure to port, terminal, shipping, logistics, cargo handling, marine services or related infrastructure operations.

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

Ports and terminals must move vessels, cargo, trucks and information through constrained space without compromising safety, security, service commitments or cost control. Managers face competing pressures: berth windows change, yard occupancy rises, equipment fails, documentation holds cargo, and customers expect reliable turnaround information. Good operational decisions depend on clear planning rules, accurate performance data, disciplined risk controls and coordinated action across marine services, terminal operations, commercial teams and public authorities.

This course develops the practical management methods used to run and improve port and terminal operations. Participants examine port governance and concession models, port-call coordination, cargo-flow design, berth and yard planning, equipment reliability, labour deployment, dangerous-goods controls, terminal finance, customer management and environmental performance. They use recognised methods including RACI, Bow-tie analysis, root-cause analysis, control charts, NPV and IRR appraisal, and ISO 14001 environmental-aspects registers. The course also addresses Terminal Operating Systems, Port Community Systems, EDI data exchanges and operational cybersecurity controls.

Delivered over 10 days, the programme provides approximately 65 contact hours through instructor-led classroom delivery in 50+ cities or live online. Short technical briefings are followed by sector cases, planning tasks, simulations and structured peer review. Participants progressively develop a terminal operating improvement plan using a realistic cargo, capacity, service and risk scenario. They leave with a reviewed plan containing demand assumptions, berth and yard controls, KPIs, risk treatments, financial priorities and an implementation roadmap, alongside a certificate of completion.

The course is designed for professionals responsible for terminal performance, marine coordination, cargo operations, commercial delivery, asset planning or port authority oversight. It is particularly useful for managers moving from a functional role into wider terminal or port management responsibility.

What you will be able to do

  • Map port-call, cargo-flow and terminal interfaces using RACI accountability matrices
  • Build throughput forecasts and translate demand into berth, yard and gate requirements
  • Prepare berth plans using vessel priorities, service windows, draft constraints and crane allocations
  • Calculate yard capacity, occupancy and dwell-time controls for container and cargo terminals
  • Apply Bow-tie analysis, permit-to-work controls and emergency-response planning to terminal risks
  • Construct terminal performance dashboards using operational, financial and customer-service KPIs
  • Evaluate tariff, cost and capital-investment decisions using contribution analysis, NPV and sensitivity testing
  • Present a terminal operating improvement plan with controls, targets, risks and implementation actions

Benefits of attending

For you

  • Improved ability to manage berth, yard and gate constraints together
  • Practical methods for diagnosing terminal delays and productivity losses
  • Stronger confidence presenting operational investment and improvement cases
  • Working knowledge of ISPS, IMDG and terminal safety-control requirements
  • A reusable terminal operating improvement plan for workplace adaptation

For your organisation

  • More reliable vessel turnaround through disciplined berth and port-call planning
  • Reduced congestion risk through yard occupancy and dwell-time controls
  • Clearer accountability between terminal, marine, commercial and support functions
  • Better investment decisions using operational demand, cost and asset-performance evidence
  • Stronger safety, security and environmental controls at terminal interfaces

Course modules

16 modules over 10 days

Participants can distinguish port governance, terminal operating models and their management accountabilities.

  • Port authority, landlord, tool and private-service operating models
  • Terminal concession boundaries, common-user assets and interface accountabilities
  • Port community stakeholders mapped through influence-interest and dependency analysis
  • Revenue streams from vessel dues, cargo dues, leases and services
  • UNCTAD port-performance indicators interpreted for managerial decision making
  • Governance mandates, board reporting lines and statutory obligations

Participants can coordinate a port call using defined roles, information exchanges and escalation controls.

  • Port-call process mapped from nomination through berth departure clearance
  • Ship-shore interface responsibilities assigned using a RACI matrix
  • Berth-window agreements matched to liner schedules and tidal constraints
  • Statement of Facts verified for delay, productivity and billing evidence
  • Port-call optimization principles applied to arrival-time information sharing
  • Agency, pilotage, towage and mooring service coordination controls

Participants can map cargo flows and define controls at critical terminal handoffs.

  • Container, bulk, breakbulk, RoRo and liquid-terminal operating characteristics
  • Cargo flow diagrams locating handoffs, queues, controls and information points
  • Yard, gate, quay and warehouse interfaces reconciled against demand
  • Terminal Operating System data fields supporting execution and visibility
  • Commodity-specific handling risks assessed before resource and equipment assignment
  • Custody-transfer points defined for quantity, quality and damage accountability

Participants can build demand scenarios and convert them into terminal capacity requirements.

  • Throughput forecasts built from trade data, customer commitments and seasonality
  • TEU, tonnes, moves and dwell-time demand drivers distinguished
  • Scenario planning tests base, upside and disruption-volume assumptions
  • Peak-period profiles translated into berth, yard, gate and labour requirements
  • Demand assumptions documented with source, owner, confidence and review date
  • Forecast bias monitored using actual-versus-plan variance and exception thresholds

Participants can prepare berth plans that balance vessel needs, quay capacity and productivity.

  • Berth planning sequences vessels by priority, length, draft and service windows
  • Berth occupancy calculated from service time, idle time and availability
  • Quay crane allocation balanced against vessel workload and productivity targets
  • Line-up changes controlled through cut-off times and escalation rules
  • Berth productivity measured using gross moves, net moves and crane intensity
  • Tidal windows, air draft and channel restrictions incorporated into berth plans

Participants can control yard capacity, cargo dwell time and gate flow using operational data.

  • Yard capacity calculated using ground slots, stacking height and occupancy
  • Import, export, empty and reefer segregation rules defined
  • Yard strategy compares block, wheeled, RTG and straddle-carrier systems
  • Container dwell-time reduction actions target customs, documentation and collection delays
  • Rehandles tracked as a cost and productivity loss indicator
  • Gate appointment systems matched to truck peaks and yard availability

Participants can assess equipment performance and set maintenance priorities supporting terminal production.

  • Equipment fleet plans match duty cycles, redundancy and maintenance windows
  • Crane cycle-time analysis identifies travel, hoist, spreader and waiting losses
  • Preventive maintenance schedules protect critical assets and production capacity
  • Fuel, energy and tyre consumption monitored by equipment operating hour
  • Availability, utilization and reliability metrics distinguish equipment performance causes
  • Lifecycle replacement cases compare capital cost, downtime and residual value

Participants can align labour deployment, supervision and contractor controls with terminal workloads.

  • Shift rosters match workload profiles, competency requirements and fatigue controls
  • Labour standards convert gang composition and task times into staffing
  • Productivity incentive schemes aligned with safety, quality and throughput measures
  • Toolbox talks address task hazards, changing conditions and stop-work authority
  • Contractor controls specify induction, supervision, permits and performance reporting
  • Industrial relations risks assessed through consultation, grievance and contingency procedures

Participants can apply structured safety, security and emergency controls at terminal interfaces.

  • ISPS Code security levels linked to access-control and incident procedures
  • ISM Code responsibilities connected to terminal interface and emergency coordination
  • Bow-tie analysis maps threats, preventive barriers and recovery controls
  • Permit-to-work systems control hot work, confined spaces and isolation
  • Incident investigation uses five-whys, evidence logs and corrective-action tracking
  • Oil spill, fire and cargo-release response plans assign command roles
  • Emergency drills evaluated against response times, communications and equipment readiness

Participants can manage dangerous goods, cargo condition and custody-transfer risks.

  • IMDG Code classes, segregation tables and documentation requirements applied
  • Dangerous-goods acceptance checks verify declarations, packaging and placarding
  • Segregation distances set for incompatible cargoes in yards and warehouses
  • Reefer monitoring controls temperature excursions, power failures and alarm escalation
  • Bulk cargo dust, self-heating and contamination risks controlled
  • Cargo damage claims investigated through condition surveys and chain-of-custody records

Participants can design terminal KPIs and use evidence to prioritise improvement actions.

  • Terminal dashboard combines throughput, vessel turnaround, dwell time and cost
  • KPIs distinguished between leading controls and lagging outcome measures
  • Control charts separate normal operational variation from assignable causes
  • Root-cause analysis uses Pareto charts, fishbone diagrams and verified actions
  • Service-level agreements translate customer requirements into measurable terminal commitments
  • Daily operations meetings use visual management and exception escalation

Participants can analyse terminal costs, tariff choices and capital investment proposals.

  • Terminal P&L separates fixed costs, variable costs and contribution margin
  • Activity-based costing assigns equipment, labour and utility costs to services
  • Tariff structures compare wharfage, handling, storage and ancillary service charges
  • Revenue leakage checks reconcile tariffs, exemptions, billing triggers and collections
  • Capital expenditure appraisals use NPV, IRR, sensitivity and payback tests
  • Monthly variance analysis links budget deviations to operational drivers

Participants can identify environmental priorities and prepare practical resilience controls for terminal operations.

  • ISO 14001 environmental aspects register prioritizes significant port impacts
  • Air-emissions inventories distinguish vessels, cargo equipment, trucks and generators
  • Shore-power business cases assess demand, grid capacity and vessel uptake
  • Ballast water, bilge and ship-waste reception arrangements meet obligations
  • Noise, dust and water monitoring plans set locations, frequencies and limits
  • Climate-risk assessments address storm surge, heat, flooding and wind disruption

Participants can specify data, system and cybersecurity controls supporting terminal execution.

  • Port Community System workflows reduce duplicate data entry and release delays
  • Terminal Operating System master data governance prevents planning and billing errors
  • EDI messages coordinate manifests, stowage plans, gate releases and status updates
  • Cybersecurity controls protect operational technology, user access and recovery procedures
  • Data-quality checks test completeness, timeliness, validity and ownership
  • Digital project charters define benefits, dependencies, milestones and adoption measures

Participants can manage customer, concession, stakeholder and continuity requirements affecting terminal performance.

  • Concession agreements allocate investment, performance standards, risks and remedies
  • Customer segmentation differentiates shipping lines, cargo owners, forwarders and hauliers
  • Key-account plans connect service commitments, volumes, issues and growth opportunities
  • Stakeholder engagement maps community concerns, regulator expectations and consultation actions
  • Business continuity plans prioritize critical services, recovery objectives and alternatives
  • Disruption communications use incident facts, customer impacts and recovery milestones

Participants can build, review and present a complete terminal operating improvement plan supported by operational, risk and financial evidence.

  • Operating context synthesized into a terminal service and demand profile
  • Throughput forecast translated into berth, yard, gate, labour and equipment plans
  • Risk register applies bow-tie controls, owners, triggers and assurance checks
  • Performance dashboard sets KPIs, targets, data sources and review cadence
  • Financial case quantifies tariff, cost, capital and sensitivity assumptions
  • Implementation roadmap sequences actions, governance, resources and stakeholder communications
  • Management presentation defends recommendations, trade-offs, risks and expected results

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

What you take back to work

  1. Terminal operating improvement plan template
  2. Berth and yard capacity planning model
  3. Port-call RACI matrix
  4. Terminal KPI dashboard specification
  5. Bow-tie terminal risk register
  6. Terminal investment appraisal worksheet

Who should attend

  • Terminal Operations Managers — responsible for throughput, productivity, safety and service delivery
  • Port Authority Managers — overseeing port performance, concessions and stakeholder coordination
  • Marine Operations Managers — coordinating vessel calls, berth access and nautical services
  • Terminal Superintendents — managing shift execution, equipment deployment and cargo flows
  • Commercial and Customer Service Managers — improving terminal commitments, tariffs and account performance
  • Infrastructure and Asset Managers — planning equipment reliability, capacity and capital investment

Skills and tools covered

Berth planningYard capacity managementTerminal performance analysisPort-call coordinationOperational risk controlTerminal financial planning

Tools and standards

ISPS Code, IMDG Code, ISO 14001, Bow-tie analysis

How the course runs

Training methodology

Instruction combines short practitioner briefings with port and terminal cases drawn from container, bulk, breakbulk, RoRo and liquid-cargo operations. Participants interpret vessel schedules, throughput profiles, yard data, incident records, equipment metrics and financial assumptions. Group work applies planning methods to realistic operating constraints, while simulations test decisions during vessel delays, congestion, equipment outages and cargo incidents. Facilitated reviews compare alternative operating choices and their consequences. Each participant develops application actions and receives structured feedback on the terminal operating improvement plan.

Requirements and prerequisites

Participants should have practical exposure to port, terminal, shipping, logistics, cargo handling, marine services or related infrastructure operations. They should be comfortable reading operating data such as vessel schedules, throughput reports, equipment records or basic cost reports. Experience in a supervisory, technical, commercial or planning role is useful. The course does not require prior terminal-management responsibility, engineering qualifications, accounting qualifications or advanced spreadsheet modelling. Participants unfamiliar with container terminology or marine operations can participate, provided they are prepared to work with operational cases and planning data.

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 exposure to port, terminal, shipping, logistics or cargo operations. Prior management experience is useful but not mandatory, and no engineering or accounting qualification is required.

Participants should bring a laptop for planning templates and case materials. Where permitted, they should also bring non-confidential examples of throughput reports, vessel schedules, equipment data or current operational challenges.

The course suits terminal managers, superintendents, port authority staff, marine operations personnel, commercial managers and asset planners. It also suits experienced supervisors preparing for wider terminal-management duties.

This course concentrates on managing the port and terminal operating system: vessels, berths, yards, gates, equipment, labour, cargo controls and terminal performance. It does not focus primarily on chartering, maritime law, freight forwarding or supply-chain procurement.

Participants develop a terminal operating improvement plan based on realistic operational data and constraints. The templates can be adapted for berth planning, yard reviews, KPI meetings, risk registers and capital proposals after the course.

Each training day runs from 08:30 to 16:30 and provides about 6.5 contact hours, for approximately 65 contact hours overall. The first week establishes core operating controls, while the second week deepens financial, environmental, digital and commercial management before the capstone presentation.

Questions about this course?

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

Ask on WhatsApp info@skillsetdevelopment.com

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