European Port Workers Training Scheme - EU-PORTRAItS

The EU-PORTRAItS – European Port Workers Training Scheme project is financed by the FP7, the EU’s main instrument for funding research responding to Europe’s employment needs, competitiveness and quality of life. Project Coordinator is CERTH/ HIT. In addition to CERTH/ HIT, project partners include the Port Institute for Studies and Cooperation (Spain), Technical Research Centre of Finland (Finland); Klaipeda Shipping Research Centre (Lithuania), Jacobs University (Germany), Hamburg Port Training Institute (Germany), Intermodal Logistics Training Consortium (Italy) and Exantas Institute (Greece).

The specific objectives of the project include the following:

• identify and review current practices in port training,
• assess the future human resource requirements for EU ports,
• facilitate an effective, broad and open dialogue of key stakeholders, and
• identify health and safety priorities in the ports sector.

The recent Communication from the Commission titled "Ports: an engine for growth" (COM(2013) 295) highlights the issue of port work as one of its cornerstones. The Communication identifies several actions to be pursued, including the creation of a Port Sector Social Dialogue committee (Launched in June 2013). It highlights the issue of port work as an occupation with high risk of accidents and health implications for workers. It calls for the launching of a concerted action project to examine health and safety, and training and qualification challenges in EU ports with the involvement of the Social Dialogue Committee. EU-PORTRAItS is the project through which this action is taking place.
EU-PORTRAItS is expected to produce a systematic overview of current practices in port training; identify future human resources demand profiles, skills and training needs of the EU port sector; identify health and safety issues and assist in shaping health and safety training priorities for the future; ensure an active participation of key stakeholders and facilitate broad and open dialogue with social partners on the evolving training needs in the European port industry. National workshops have been organized in seven member states while interviews with experts suggested by the European Ports Social Dialogue partners are being conducted.

The project received a distinction as “Highly Commended” at the 2015 Health & Safety Awards.

Contact: Maria Boile
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+30 2111069591