Official launch of the TrainForTrade special course on building port resilience against pandemics

It is a pleasure to launch the Train for Trade special course on “Building Port Resilience Against Pandemics”.

Ships and, by extension, seaports handle 80% by volume of global imports and exports. This merchandise trade is essential not only for delivering to people’s basic needs but also for maintaining and expanding significant employment in manufacturing, facilitating international trade, and sustaining the global economy.

The COVID-19 pandemic has been responsible for millions of deaths across the world.  The pandemic has also posed a serious threat to global port operations and port communities. However, it is encouraging, especially in these dark times, to note that the maritime sector and port industry have responded swiftly and effectively to the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic. 

We gained insight into some of these measures during UNCTAD’s pilot course for “Building Port Resilience Against Pandemics” that was attended by 132 participants from 15 countries.  The course discussed some of the actions taken by ports to combat the Covid-19 related threats to their operations while protecting the health and safety of their personnel, ships’ crews and other essential workers in the port community.

I would like to share 2 examples from ports which shared their experiences through TrainForTrade’s platform which demonstrate how ports adapted their operations and procedures to ensure continuity of trade in a safe and secure environment:

The first example draws from the experience in Nigeria:

• The Nigerian Ports Authority secured Government approval to carry on essential port services.
• Special passes were issued to essential port workers. All non-essential workers worked from home.
• Key dock-workers were divided into shifts A, B and C to ensure an infected worker would not transmit outside his/her shift.
• Shared equipment was routinely disinfected. Such measures helped to contain the impact of infection among workers.

Second, in Malaysia we saw a different approach:

• the Nation-wide lockdown decided in Malaysia did not affect cargo movement between Malaysia and Singapore.
• No restrictions were in place at police roadblocks for lorries moving between ports and warehouses or between factories and customers between Malaysia and Singapore.
• A ‘Free Commercial Zones’ policy maintained free flow of cargo between the specified zones in the two countries.

Each contrasting approach offers insights and lessons that other countries can draw upon to respond to the crisis. This collective knowledge can serve to protect essential workers and facilitate international trade.

UNCTAD’s TrainForTrade programme empowers its member countries to reap the benefits of international trade in an equitable and sustainable manner. It builds sustainable networks of knowledge to enhance national ownership, and South–South and triangular cooperation. The programme has enhanced capacity of trade experts and policy makers from 206 countries and territories. This program has engaged with over 11,000 participants in the areas of Port Management, E-Commerce, and Trade Statistics.

TrainForTrade’s Building Port Resilience Against Pandemics component includes the exchange of best practices and new safety standards. The delivery of an online course, simulation exercises and webinars will build essential skills for port community managers to help protect people and their well-being and secure vital trade movements through ports.

The self-paced moderated online course is structured in four sections that include:

• Crisis protocol and communication strategy;
• Staff management, well-being, and resilience;
• Technology preparedness; and
• Cargo flow continuity.

It gives a precise and ordered view of the different aspects to be considered by a port organisation in a pandemic situation. This special course is addressed to all actors involved in international trade, especially those involved with port operations. The course has been developed with the generous support of the United Nations Development Account and Irish Aid as well as the port partner from Valencia in Spain.

The next course will be delivered in English starting 28 June and is opened to all port communities around the world. To date already 500 participants from 83 countries have been registered to the course. I am pleased to announce that the course will be offered in French and in Spanish later this year.

In closing, countries can benefit from gaining insights from sharing experiences and best practices.  We believe that this course will lead to the development of a set of common recommendations to mitigate impacts of the current COVID-19 and future pandemics in port communities around the world. The policy advice will serve as a valuable contribution to the international community and will feed into the deliberations of UNCTAD’s 15th ministerial conference to be held in October. 

We look forward to a fruitful exchange on the importance of keeping supply chains open and allowing maritime trade to continue.

Thank you.