The International Labour Organization (ILO), in partnership with the International Training Centre of the ILO (ITCILO), has completed a five-week online training course aimed at improving safety and strengthening skills in bulk cargo operations. The course brought together port professionals and training specialists from around the world.
Held from 27 April to 29 May 2026 and delivered through the ITCILO online learning platform, the programme focused on strengthening the skills of instructors who train portworkers in safe working conditions and procedures in bulk terminals. The workshop forms part of the ILO's continued efforts to promote decent work, safer workplaces and skills development in the port sector.
Opening the programme on behalf of the ILO, Mr Tariq Haq, Head of the Transport and Maritime Sectors Unit at the ILO's Labour Governance and Sectoral Policies Department, stressed the urgency of investing in portworker training. He noted that while ports handle over 80 per cent of global trade by volume, around 70 per cent of portworkers in dry bulk terminals remain classified as "unskilled", leaving many workers exposed to hazardous conditions without adequate preparation.
Participants represented a wide range of institutions, including port authorities, trade unions, maritime universities, training centres and private terminal operators from Brazil, Cambodia, Dominican Republic, India, Maldives, Myanmar, Nigeria, Pakistan, Peru, Sri Lanka, Timor-Leste and the United Arab Emirates. In total, 19 participants successfully completed all course requirements and earned a Certificate of Achievement from ITCILO.
The workshop combined self-paced online learning with instructor-led virtual sessions based on the ILO Chief Instructors' Manual and Instructor's Guide. Participants undertook practical microteaching exercises, competency assessments and peer-review sessions designed to strengthen instructional techniques and training delivery skills. Training topics included dry bulk terminal operations, cargo handling procedures, safe working practices, operation of quayside gantry cranes and supervision of dry bulk operations.
© ITC-ILO
The workshop was organized with the financial and technical support of the Republic of Korea, reflecting continued international cooperation to strengthen labour protection, professional development and capacity-building in the maritime and port sectors. Through initiatives such as the Portworker Development Programme, the ILO continues to support governments, employers and workers in advancing safer, more efficient and more sustainable port operations while promoting decent work across the global maritime transport sector.
Developed by the ILO, the Portworker Development Programme was first launched in 1994 to provide a comprehensive training package for portworkers and supervisors in container terminals, and has since been implemented in more than 50 countries. In 2018, the programme was expanded through the development of PDP 2 Units specifically covering the transport, handling and storage of dry bulk cargoes - including iron ore, coal, grain, fertilizer, bauxite and alumina - as well as safe working practices in bulk terminals and on bulk ships.
