Port of Blyth has played a key role in the formation of a potential port training partnership between the UK and China – working with the Association of Colleges and the British Council, the UK’s international organisation for cultural relations and educational opportunities.
Port Training Services, the Port of Blyth subsidiary, was selected to provide training and qualification expertise as part of a high level delegation’s visit to China.
Leading training organisations including Port Training Services were invited to take part in a week long trip to the Ningbo Region, home to China’s second largest port.
A shortage of port and logistics related training expertise in China, has left colleagues there looking to the UK for assistance with the development of vocational qualifications for the Chinese port industry.
Colin Bassam, Training Manager at Port Training Services, said: “To be invited to take part in this project was a huge honour personally and great for Port Training Services, as it recognises us as a leading developer of Port related qualifications internationally and here in the UK.”
Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan is the busiest in the world in terms of cargo tonnage, having handled cargo of nearly 900 million tons in 2015. A potential tie in with such an important port infrastructure in Asia could provide significant opportunities for Port Training Services.
A delegation of training providers and educators from China are due to visit Blyth as part of a return visit to the UK in 2017.
