The Dublin SafePort team with their award at Dublin Port Centre
Dublin SafePort, the port-wide collaborative safety initiative at Dublin Port, has been recognised by the International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA) at its congress in Tanger Med, Morocco.
One of the IMHA’s three annual prizes, the ‘Safe, Efficient & Secure Port Award’ recognises operational leadership from across the IHMA’s global membership in 50 countries. Dublin SafePort was commended as a model of excellence in terms of impact and collaboration.
Dublin Port Harbour Master and Dublin SafePort Chair Captain Michael McKenna said: “The embedded safety culture and alignment of procedures across the unitised terminals has been achieved through collaboration across the terminals. These enhanced safety relationships support the delivery and operation of new and upgraded infrastructure at the Port.
“Dublin Port is an extremely busy world-class route-to-market, and this international recognition of our combined safety commitment is very positive and welcome.
“We have some 50 ship movements and 11,000 vehicles on the road each day, enabling €80 billion of trade annually. We are also opening up parts of the Port to the public through a range of cultural initiatives, across which safety remains a top priority.
“With this level of activity, a common safety culture is essential - through SafePort we have aligned practices around Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), speed limits and many other procedures, and have greatly increased health and safety awareness across the 261-hectare Port estate.
“This international award is a commendation to the hard work and commitment of everyone at the 11 partners who collectively make up Dublin SafePort and who reinforce safety as a pre-requisite every day.”
Celebrating collaboration at Dublin Port Centre. Back l-r: Eamon Fortune, Stena Line; Paul Kennedy, Doyle Shipping Group (DSG); Kevin McGrady, CLdN RORO Ltd; Ray Eagle, DSG; Paul Berrington, Peel Ports; Wayne Murran, North Quay Associates (NQA); Alec Colvin, Dublin Ferryport Terminals; Declan Freeman, Dublin Ferryport Terminals. Front row l-r: David O’Flaherty, Seatruck; Eddie Halpin, Dublin Port Company (DPC); Grace Larkin, Irish Ferries; Dean Chester, DPC; Michael McKenna, DPC; Claire Percy, DPC; Glen O’Connor, DSG; John Rock, NQA; Paul Hogan, DPC, Maria Kavanagh, DPC; Michael O’Connell, Irish Ferries, Cormac Kennedy, DPC
Launched in 2022, the Dublin SafePort initiative is the result of extensive collaboration between Dublin Port Company and the six unitised terminal operators at Dublin Port - Dublin Ferryport Terminals, Doyle Shipping Group, Irish Ferries, Peel Ports Group (MTL), Seatruck Ferries (now CLdN RoRo Ltd) and Stena Line. Together, they account for an estimated 75% of port workers on the Dublin Port estate.
Recently the initiative has grown to include An Garda Síochána, Revenue, HSE and North Quay Associates all of whom have significant numbers of staff working across the unitised terminals.
Under Dublin SafePort, safety awareness campaigns, training and initiatives take place port-wide with the objective of enhancing port safety culture and practice for the long-term.
