SAJ's CFO triumphs in Belgium

Andrea McGibbon, chief financial officer (CFO) of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ), was awarded a scholarship by the Flemish government to participate in a training seminar organised by the Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Centre (APEC). The two-week programme on Port Management, which was held in Belgium, saw the association's CFO being named valedictorian by her fellow participants.

McGibbon, who was among a group of more than 32 persons from 20 countries across the globe, welcomed the opportunity to represent her cohort, as well as Jamaica, at the closing ceremony which was held in the Antwerp Town Hall. The ceremony was attended by the Minister of Mobility and Public Works in the Government of Flanders, the president of the Antwerp Port Authority, the attaché in Jamaica's Embassy to Belgium and other ambassadors and officials from the various embassies.

"I was flattered by the class' vote of confidence. I was also proud as a Jamaican standing out among persons from more advanced economies," McGibbon said.

APEC, an affiliate of the Antwerp Port Authority, conducted the seminar along with members of the Antwerp private-port community. Participants benefited from presentations on the critical areas of port management, as well as practical sessions, which included visits to several sites such as the ports of Antwerp, Zeebrugge and Gent, the Antwerp Port Labour Training Centre, Dredging Environmental Marine Engineers, Marpobel, oil waste-treatment plant, Shipping and Signalling Services, Vessel Traffic System Coordination Centre and Antwerp Docks' marshalling yard.

According to McGibbon, the course provided her with a better understanding of the global supply chain and also exposed her to an effective and integrated port community.

"This will enable me to think outside the box and assist in making informed decisions here at the SAJ," McGibbon said.

"In many ways, the experience offered an opportunity for benchmarking," she added.

Comparing both countries, McGibbon said while there are similarities, the Port of Kingston is far advanced in the areas of industrial relations and utilisation of port labour.

"The stage of our industrial relations and collaboration with the unions is envied. From flexi work week to telephone recruiting, we are more efficient in the deployment of labour," McGibbon stated.

She noted that the Port of Antwerp is more integrated and astutely focused on the continuous development of the three pillars of their multi-functional port - cargo handling, industry and logistics - with the objective of maintaining value added services and employment.

Both Jamaica and Belgium are strategically located in their respective regions.

Belgium is in the heart of Europe, while Jamaica is positioned between the United States of America and the Panama Canal.

The Port of Antwerp and Port of Kingston benefit from natural nautical access - the Port of Kingston with the Kingston Harbour and the Port of Antwerp with the river Scheldt.

Both fit the core function of each port, with Kingston being a transshipment hub and Antwerp a distributor to the European hinterland.

The activities of the SAJ - as a labour-hire organisation and an 'employer's' trade union - are matched by two entities in Antwerp, Port of Antwerp Employer's Association and the Federation of Port Companies and Logistic Service Providers.

CEPA, much like the SAJ, was formed out of an unstable industrial environment. However, it is the sole supplier of dock workers within a demarked area and all employers are affiliated with the association.

The SAJ currently supplies lashers to the Port of Kingston and also provides supplementary labour for specialist functions on the port.

In her address, McGibbon said, "This occasion has also given us an opportunity to hear of the experiences and realities of our colleagues across the world. Though our functions at home vary, we are inspired by a better understanding of the 'bigger picture', and are prepared and determined to better our local shipping environment."

Countries represented included Belgium, Brazil, Chile, Croatia, Estonia, Ghana, Indonesia, Jordan, Latvia, Lebanon, Suriname and others.

CAPTION: Andrea McGibbon (second right), chief financial officer of the Shipping Association of Jamaica (SAJ), with (from left) Paul Verkoyen, chief executive officer - APEC-Antwerp/Flanders Port Training Centre; Paul Peart, attaché (Financial & Consular Affairs), Embassy of Jamaica in Brussels; and Marc Van Peel, president, Antwerp Port Authority. The occasion was the closing ceremony for the Port Management Seminar held at the Antwerp Town Hall.