Focus on maritime workforce

Manama : With Transport and Logistics being one of the key strategic growth sectors for Bahrain, Khalifa Bin Salman Port, APM Terminals Bahrain is working towards driving its future growth by developing the country’s maritime workforce. 

As the operator of Khalifa Bin Salman Port (KBSP), APM Terminals Bahrain employs approximately 500 people in a wide range of maritime and logistics operations and relies heavily on skilled talent to meet the future local and regional demands of this sector. 

Through its long-term perspective on investing in Kingdom’s maritime education and training, the company continues its collaboration with Bahrain Polytechnic for the third year and has so far, recruited 13 of their students for various port operations including planning, technical, HR, Marine services and safety. 

Additionally, APM Terminals has been advocating career opportunities for women in the maritime sector by integrating their role into mainstream activities, usually considered non-traditional and labour-intensive with facilitating career development opportunities for 9 young women, by employing them across various port operations. 

“Working at the port has been a great on-ground learning experience - it has improved my practical knowledge of technical skills, expanded my engineering background and enhanced my administrative skills. Each day, I learn more from experience and that is a big boost in this dynamic industry,” said Ali Karim Nesaif, one of the young recruits, working in the port’s Technical department.

“In my short seven months tenure, I have had the first-hand experience of working across the Static Planning, General cargo departments and learning more about the port, the diverse work and career opportunities it offers. This has been a vast experience and I am really looking forward to pursuing a career in this industry,” Another Bahraini youth, Asma Dhafer Abdulaal, working in the port’s Operational department added.

“We are really pleased with how our career development initiative has shaped up and most importantly, benefitted so many young Bahraini youths who are smart, enthusiastic and eager to learn,” added Mark Hardiman, CEO and Managing Director of APM Terminals Bahrain. APM, this year, will be welcoming a new batch of 40 students to attend interactive knowledge sessions at the port.