In Le Havre, terminal shipplanners receive and compile information sent by the “Central planner”. They then must fetch information related to the port of call and pass it to the ship which will integrate it into its system.  Finally, they must come on board to introduce the final plan as well as potential modifications that may have taken place during the handling phase.

In addition, they must be able to meet the client’s requirements such as adding more containers at the last minute or act as a link between the chief Officer, his crew and the longshoremen when they do not understand each other for language reasons. They are, in fact, a focal point and coordinate the client (shipowner ), the crew and officers, the handlers and the central planner.

They are employed by the handling operator.

Testimonial

Stephane and Sebastien both work in the port business, respectively as chief assistant and port handling chief. Sebastien trained as a surveyor and qualified as a topographer designer  before he seized the opportunity to work in the port. “This job is wonderful, longshoremen are like a big family and are all united. We work all year long on sea giants, night and day, in a very friendly atmosphere.” Stephane shares this opinion. He reached that position after he was awarded a mechanical engineering baccalaureat and an Engineering technical assistant BTS.  He adds: “I was able to discover port life in all its various aspects. I worked in different positions such as grabber or forklift operator. I definitely discovered strong solidarity, something rare nowadays.”

Jerome holds a BTS Commerce (International business bachelor degree) and Sebastien a vocational day release BTS in Transport and Logistics. Both now work as ship planners, acting as intermediaries between the crew on board, the tonnage center and the longshoremen lifting office service in order to ensure orderly loading of the ship.

Jerome considers that this profession allowed him to practice his passion for the maritime and port environment, to prove autonomous and strong in the decisions he must take and which must be both fast and in the best interest of his company, the ships and the clients.

Sebastien adds: “I developed relationships with foreign people and that helped me practice and improve my English. I can better manage emergencies and priorities and develop my sense of flexibility, adaptability and anticipation.” He was able to “come out of his shell” and now continuously works in a team.

Source: multiple Internet sources, specialized literature, testimonials (Pratic-Export, Pôle-emploi cards, Wikipedia, Onisep, CNRTL, Umep à la Page, etc.)

They organize and implement the logistics plan daily, the necessary human resources, material and technical means while dealing with daily current issues.

Using specific software for stock management has become vital. They may act as managers sometimes, organize and insure safe and orderly reception, dispatch (sorting) and delivery of small parcels operations. They manage a team of handlers.

They must take productivity ratios into account for cost efficiency, deadline keeping, delivery quality and safety reasons.

This profession can be accessed from any educational level (from CAP to vocational baccalaureat via a BEP). In order to become a stock-controller or a loading bay supervisor, several years of experience are necessary. Management positions can be accessed rapidly with a diploma such as a DUT Transport/Logistics. The profession can also be accessed via continuing education.

Source: multiple Internet sources, specialized literature, testimonials (Pratic-Export, Pôle-emploi cards, Wikipedia, Onisep, CNRTL, Umep à la Page, etc.)

When goods are loaded on a ship or unloaded they are handled by a stevedore or, more specifically, they go through his high-tech equipment: from gantry to IT port terminal management systems, the operator works in a very efficient environment. He employs longshoremen.

Who is in charge of making sure goods reach their destination as fast as possible without any trouble? While all the different professions involved in the supply chain claim similar excellence at the service of goods, it must be noted that the handling operator plays a vital physical role in its transport.

Situated in between the ship and other transportation modes that will be used to forward the goods to the client, the handling operator (or stevedore) performs, in concrete terms, loading and unloading operations as well as the storage of goods involved. (on a ground surface called “Terminal”). Heavily mechanized, this step involves a complex procession in which dexterity and accuracy must be flawless.

Act and waste no time: this must be the operator’s motto since the duration of the docking of the ship depends on how fast he operates. Shipowners want this time to be as short as possible for profitability reasons.

Safety and efficiency

The main occupation of the stevedore involves the handling of raw material or containers thanks to specific tools (cranes, straddle-carriers, hoists, locomotives, etc.) to transfer them from the ship to the truck, train, river barge (or the opposite in export cases).

Machine drivers, on the terminals, hold specific authorizations (CACES: Certificat d’Aptitude à la Conduite en Sécurité – Certificate of Operator Safety Competency) to be able to take the controls of the different machines.

The task of others is to maintain tools and premises so that efficiency and safety can be insured.

On an administrative level, many support jobs are needed: engineers, IT technicians, sales representatives, etc. Employment related to handling in Le Havre, which is directly related to the volume of goods to handle, shall benefit in the next few years from a policy willing to win markets back and from the attractiveness of Le Havre equipments on the routes of international trade.

In Le Havre, handling professions represent close to 2 800 direct jobs in various fields: containers, bulk, road cargo, etc. This economic area employs and develops each day.

Since the handling reform of 1992, the handling operator has become a genuine industrial entrepreneur.

Source: multiple Internet sources, specialized literature, testimonials (Pratic-Export, Pôle-emploi cards, Wikipedia, Onisep, CNRTL, Umep à la Page, etc.)

Containers are operated under severe conditions: they sail the high seas under any type of weather and sometimes experience all kinds of small or more serious accidents during loading and unloading This is when maintenance technicians and yard managers step in.

Shipowners/container owners contact these multi-talented men and women when their containers need maintenance or repair. Containers, even if they often look alike, all have their differences: front or side opening, empty or equipped to receive refrigerated goods, 20, 40 or 50 feet long, etc. Each box needs special attention and may suffer from its own wrong: distortion, damaged door, refrigeration system down, missing part, etc.

Many professions are involved in this process: administrative officers for customer service and logistics, forklift operators for handling operations on the yard, boilermakers, shearers for the manufacture of custom-made parts, refrigeration technicians, etc.

In Le Havre, several companies employing close to 500 people specialized in this thriving activity. They even sometimes propose to transform and convert containers: archival storage, studio flats for students, livestock bodies, etc.

Testimonial

Cyrille has been a refrigeration technician since 2000. She first trained at vocational Lycée Auguste Perret (Energy section). She then completed a BEP preparation internship with ARNAL company. As studies prove not to be her first interest, she declares: “I progress regularly thanks to refresher courses. This job offered me responsibilities, contact with different professions and I learned how to manage a stock.”

After several different internships and a job interview, Johan became assistant repairer in 2010. “I learned how to work in a team, thoroughly, while respecting essential safety instructions. I practice techniques I learned at school and others I discovered here day after day. This job also allows me to exchange with different trades regularly.”

Jeremy holds a vocational baccalaureat and a BEP in electro technique. He spontaneously applied for a position as a Great Heights Forklift Operator, a position he has been holding since May 2008. Since he had not followed the relevant courses, he passed a CACES (Certificate of Operator Safety Competency) “I discovered a job I did not know. It taught me how to drive these vehicles safely and how to perform different maneuvers such as container stacking, serving and clearing workshops and many others.”

The three of them are active in the field of container reparation, a profession that employs a lot of people at the moment.

Source: multiple Internet sources, specialized literature, testimonials (Pratic-Export, Pôle-emploi cards, Wikipedia, Onisep, CNRTL, Umep à la Page…)

They supervise operations and must optimize staff schedules and the organization of daily activities on the terminals.

They manage, monitor and lead handling teams working under their authority.

Directly in contact with ship masters and inland waterways companies docking in Le Havre, they plan the order in which ships are handled depending on their date and time of arrival.

They make sure operations are dealt with orderly, without any mistake nor omision and ensure safety measures are being respected at all times.

Source: multiple Internet sources, specialized literature, testimonials (Pratic-Export, Pôle-emploi cards, Wikipedia, Onisep, CNRTL, Umep à la Page, etc.)

In Le Havre, terminal shipplanners receive and compile information sent by the “Central planner”. They then must fetch information related to the port of call and pass it to the ship which will integrate it into its system.  Finally, they […]

They organize and implement the logistics plan daily, the necessary human resources, material and technical means while dealing with daily current issues. Using specific software for stock management has become vital. They may act as managers sometimes, organize and insure […]

When goods are loaded on a ship or unloaded they are handled by a stevedore or, more specifically, they go through his high-tech equipment: from gantry to IT port terminal management systems, the operator works in a very efficient environment. […]

Containers are operated under severe conditions: they sail the high seas under any type of weather and sometimes experience all kinds of small or more serious accidents during loading and unloading This is when maintenance technicians and yard managers step […]

They supervise operations and must optimize staff schedules and the organization of daily activities on the terminals. They manage, monitor and lead handling teams working under their authority. Directly in contact with ship masters and inland waterways companies docking in […]