PNG Crane Operators Help Boost Port Operations Overseas
PNG Crane Operators Help Boost Port Operations Overseas:
Misamis Oriental, Philippines: George Ilau Amos and Nathan Nalu Koro, Papua New Guinean QC and MHC trainer-operators of ICTSI South Pacific together with their Filipino trainees from Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) and Ranolfo Cablinda (right most), operations manager of MCT
Papua New Guinean trainer-operators from ICTSI South Pacific’s Lae terminal contributed to the operations at the Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) in the Philippines by training Filipino personnel on mobile harbor crane (MHC) operations.
Nathan Nalu Koro and George Ilau Amos, quay crane (QC) and MHC trainer-operators from South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT) in Lae led the two-month onsite training on crane operations, safety protocols, and container handling.
The initiative brings to the fore the ICTSI value of collaboration and a strategy to enhance workforce capabilities and optimize terminal efficiency across its global network.
The progress at MCT highlights the benefits of collaboration within ICTSI,” said Aurelio C. Garcia, MCT general manager. “Nathan and George’s expertise helped refine our operators’ skills, increasing MHC container moves per hour from nine to a peak of 28 in recent months.
The recent training at MCT aligns with ICTSI’s broader workforce development efforts. In a related initiative, ICTSI South Pacific’s Papua New Guinean engineering team conducted a comprehensive three-phase training program on mobile harbor crane maintenance and repair for the Visayas Container Terminal (VCT) engineering team. Held in Port Moresby and Lae in August 2024, the training ensured that when VCT’s new cranes arrived in early September 2024, the trained Filipino team was fully prepared for deployment. VCT is ICTSI’s newest terminal in the Philippines.
Lae, Papua New Guinea: Filipino engineering team (wearing yellow vests) from Visayas Container Terminal (VCT) together with their ICTSI South Pacific mentors in SPICT
Knowledge-sharing has been a long-standing practice within ICTSI. Six years ago, Filipino trainer-operators from ICTSI’s flagship terminal, Manila International Container Terminal (MICT), trained their Papua New Guinean counterparts. Now, PNG operators are sharing their expertise.
George Gware, ICTSI South Pacific Chief Operating Officer, emphasized the importance of collaboration in workforce training: “We take pride in our team’s expertise and its role in raising industry standards. Through initiatives supported by the ICTSI Global Academy, we continue to strengthen skills across the Asia-Pacific.”
ICTSI South Pacific’s training efforts were recognized at the 2023 ICTSI Group Sustainability Summit, where its Center of Excellence Training Program and Transformative Leadership Program received the Best ESG Initiative for Social Award.
By fostering knowledge exchange and operational improvements, ICTSI with ICTSI South Pacific in Papua New Guinea continues to enhance efficiency and strengthen its international terminal network.
South Pacific International Container Terminal (SPICT) is managed by ICTSI South Pacific, which operates two of Papua New Guinea’s largest international container terminals—Motukea International Terminal (MIT) in Port Moresby and SPICT in Lae. Both terminals are part of the global footprint of International Container Terminal Services Inc (ICTSI), a global port operator based in Manila that manages terminals across six continents including Mindanao Container Terminal (MCT) and Visayas Container Terminal (VCT) in the Philippines.
ICTSI SPL
