Port of Salalah Invests in Training of Its Local Omani Pilots

Captains Mohammed Ojaili and Ali Barham are the first two local pilots in Salalah to receive an open tonnage pilot license, with another local talent, Captain Omar Al Khatiri, just one step away from open tonnage certification, allowing these talents to be handling the largest ships in the world that call at the naturally deepwater Port of Salalah.

The company has invested consistently in the training of its local Omani pilots through a complete cycle of shore based and on-job training, reflecting on the overall drive and focus of the company’s local talent-development programme, which sees over 70% of its skilled positions filled by Omani employees.

“Salalah is the only port in Oman to have trained its pilots from within the department and we are incredibly proud to be able to have developed our local talent in a way that provides a unique technical specialization to the country and community,” said Peter Ford, CEO at Port of Salalah.

The company’s Local pilots have received external training for their STCW certification at the Arab Academy for Science and Technology and Maritime Transport in Alexandria, Egypt.

The pilots will shortly undergo the final pilot simulator training and certificate upgrading through Jordan Academy of Maritime Studies in Amman, Jordan.

The success of developing the company’s pilots is founded on its internal four-step licensing programme on increasing vessel size and tonnage. The internal development programme has been running for over four years and with a zero accident record to date.

“This achievement highlights the ongoing effort of our senior expat Pilots who participate in the development of our locals. This is a culture at Port of Salalah that we continuously support and enhance, as it goes a long way in leveraging Omani leadership at every level in the company,” added Ahmed Akaak, Deputy CEO at the port.

Captain Ali Barham has been a long-time employee at the Port of Salalah, since its inception through the APM Terminal joint venture with the Omani government which took place in 1998, while Captain Mohammed Ojaili had joined the company in 2005 following his graduation. Both had stepped into their careers as pilots in 2008, which reflects the speed of success and training within four short years.

The Port of Salalah has handled the world’s largest container vessels (LOA of 400 meters), and in 2012 had received 1,737 container vessels in 2012, an average of 144 vessels each month or five container vessels per day, resulting in about 10 pilot moves. The port also handled 1478 vessels at the port’s general cargo terminal throughout 2012.

Due to the port’s connectivity it ranks among the top 30 transshipment container ports globally.

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Salalah Port, March 25, 2013