Durban maritime course travels successfully

Success is reflected in 15% better productivity off Alaskan coast
KEVIN MAYHEW
MARITIME TRAINING developed in South Africa has found success in Canada in the form of the Maritime Trade and Transport College in Victoria BC, which intends developing port colleges worldwide. It was established by Peter Fitt (Snr) who in 1985 established the Durban-based Maritime Institute. This Institute is still in the Fitt family but operates under the name of the Maritime Trade and Transport College. So the land of the famed Maple is where its equivalent is now actively passing on its acclaimed Berth Logistics and Paper Handling Courses, which were both developed in South Africa. “At Katimat, near the border with Alaska, a private port is being developed where manufacturers of paper and aluminium have their own port terminals, staff and equipment. This port is served by the same gearbulk ships that uplift cargo in Richards Bay and Durban,” says Fitt. In early 2005 the paper mill terminal at Kitimat set about increasing productivity by 15% a year using the Diploma in Port Logistics from the College as a catalyst for creating a more focused and professional terminal operation. On April 6, managers and supervisors were presented with a Certificate of Accomplishment for achieving increased productivity beyond 15%.