18 June 2024

The International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA) is pleased to announce this year’s award winners, celebrated at the 14th IHMA Congress in May.

The key theme of the 2024 event was The Marine Adventure – Evolving and adapting to change in today’s ports. Tanger Med Port Authority hosted the congress at the Tanger Med Port Center.

Gala Dinner & Awards Ceremony

The awards were presented at the prestigious Congress Gala held at Palais Moulay Hafid in the heart of Tangier on the evening of Thursday 23 May.

Launched in 2018, the IHMA awards recognise and celebrate the contributions Harbour Masters make to ensuring safe, secure and efficient ports around the world.

The awards are judged in three categories:

• Port Operations Photograph of the Year
• Safe, Efficient and Secure Port
• Outstanding Individual Achievement in the Profession of Harbour Master

Category 1: Port Operations Photograph of the Year award

The Port Operations Photograph of the Year award went to John Fallon, Regional Harbour Master, Port of Gladstone, Maritime Safety Queensland. The award was accepted on John’s behalf by Kylie McDonald, Deputy Harbour Master, Port of Geelong.

Winning photo

The photograph, taken by Aerial Media Gladstone, captures the LNG Carrier CESI QINGDAO being moved "dead ship" from the APLNG Terminal at the end of the Port of Gladstone in Central Queensland, 25 nautical miles to the anchorage outside the harbour. The vessel, which suffered a propulsion machinery failure shortly after loading, was manoeuvred by seven tugs (six visible in the photo) and three pilots. The successful operation, planned through simulations, underscores the importance of thorough planning and collaboration in ensuring the safe and efficient movement of vessels.

Category 2. Safe, Efficient and Secure Port Award:

The winners of the Safe, Efficient and Secure Port Award were the ‘Dublin SafePort Initiative'.

Launched in 2022, the Dublin SafePort Initiative is a collaborative effort between Dublin Port Company and six unitised terminal operators at Dublin Port. The initiative has grown to include An Garda Síochána (Irish police service), Revenue, HSE, and North Quay Associates. By standardising practices around PPE, speed limits, and other procedures, and through extensive safety awareness campaigns and training, the initiative has significantly enhanced safety culture and practices across the 261-hectare port estate.

In Tangier, the award was accepted by Michael McKenna, Harbour Master, Port of Dublin on behalf of all the partners that participate in the Dublin SafePort Initiative.

Category 3. Outstanding Individual Achievement in the Profession of Harbour Master Award

The award for Outstanding Individual Achievement in the Profession of Harbour Master was presented to Thulani Dubeko, Harbour Master, Port of Ngqura, Transnet National Ports Authority, South Africa.

Captain Dubeko was nominated for his pivotal role in starting and operationalising the African Harbour Master Committee.

Captain Dubeko has been instrumental in organising Harbour Masters across the continent, encouraging them to share information, network, and assist each other. He has also been involved in significant projects at the Port of Ngqura, including the Ngqura Manganese Export Terminal and a new Liquid Bulk Terminal. He is recognised for his commitment to raising awareness and funds for children with autism and his efforts to promote the profession through career guidance exhibitions at underprivileged schools.

IHMA President Paul O’Regan: “I’m well aware that we say this every time, but the calibre of nominations this year was truly as high as it has ever been. How privileged are we to know and get to know the fantastic individuals who go above and beyond for the safety and efficiency of their ports? Some of it is part of the job, but let’s face it, a lot of it isn’t. John Fallon, the Dublin SafePort Initiative, Thulani Dubeko – We see you, we recognise you and we thank you.”

 

About the IHMA 

The International Harbour Masters Association (IHMA) is a professional membership association for those responsible for the safe, secure, efficient and environmentally sound conduct of marine operations in port waters. The Association brings together Harbour Masters and all those who hold a managerial position in aspects of the control of marine operations within a port. Its members include port operations managers, VTS managers, and many others, as well as of course Harbour Masters. 

The IHMA unites those responsible for the safe, efficient and secure navigation of port waters with members representing more than 50 nations, extending throughout Western and Eastern Europe, Australasia, Africa, the Americas, the Middle East and Asia. Members are from ports large and small, publicly and privately owned, and represent a unique source of up-to-date, hands-on expertise in a range of port and maritime operations, including safety of navigation, vessel traffic control, shipping movements, port management, protection of the marine environment, the ship/port interface, cargo handling and safe stowage, safety management and training, and port security. 

IHMA has observer status at IMO. Reports of the proceedings of IMO Committees are circulated to members and made available together with selected documents of interest to members. Members can participate in IMO Working Groups and Correspondence Groups. 

IHMA works to develop information and resources for its members, and the Association supports the participation of its members in these efforts in order to ensure that relevant information is developed and made available to members. 

The Association also welcomes commercial members and maintains a good relationship with companies developing products and services that may assist members in the performance of their professional duties. Commercial members have access to the key decision makers and are especially important participants in the Associations business. 

 

About Port Tanger Med 

Tanger Med Port is the first port in Africa and in the Mediterranean. It’s a global logistics gateway located on the Strait of Gibraltar and connected to more than 180 ports worldwide with handling capacities of:  9 million containers, exports of 1 million new vehicles, transit of 7 million passengers and 700,000 trucks on an annual basis. 

The port is backed by an industrial platform of more than 2,500 hectares of economic activity zones, which host more than 1,200 companies and generate a business volume of 13 billion Dollars in the automotive, aeronautics, textile, agribusiness and logistics sectors.