Blog post: PSS visit to PD Ports

PSS CEO Debbie Cavaldoro and Health, Safety and Culture Lead, Jen Maddison recently visited Teesside for a catch up with the team at PD Ports.

The pair first spent some time with Harbour Master Paul Brooks, and his team Luke Oldham, Wendy O’Donnell, and Liam Guest in the newly relocated VTS, particularly admiring the famous Tees Transporter Bridge which looms large over the river.

Over lunch with Frans Caljé (CEO), Neal Armstrong (Head of Risk & Resilience), Alan Dixon (Head of Health, Safety, Environment and Sustainability), David Wilson (Head of People) Michelle Robson (Chief People and Compliance Officer), and Jane Carey (Environmental & Sustainability Manager), Debbie provided an update on projects that PSS is working on including the container safety campaign, supervisors course, and PSS Awards and conference.

Alan Dixon then took Debbie and Jen on a tour of the port, with Grant Honzik (Business Unit Director Bulks) providing an overview of the bulk terminal operations. Grant brought out a lithium-ion battery pack which had caught fire within scrap being loaded over the quay. He explained that movement and handling of scrap can damage batteries, leading to short circuit and thermal runaway. Lithium-ion batteries should not be included within general scrap streams, and their presence indicates inappropriate disposal. This is becoming an increasing fire risk within the port. To date, the batteries that have caught fire in the port have been small rather than the types associated with EV cars or bikes.

PS Ports has diversified in recent years, following the reduction in steel and coal cargoes, but still handles an amount of finished steel products and has invested in bespoke lifting magnet attachments for their forklift trucks to handle large steel slabs. One of the more unusual cargos is the ex-British steel rail sections being shipped to countries including Turkey for further use.

The port is handling increasing volumes of dry bulk products including grain, soy and wood pellet. In one of their newer Dutch barn style sheds, precast concrete push walls are used to contain the product and the shed has open lower wall sections allowing any product which overtops the containment to be recovered and returned.

Next Kevin Mortimer, Rail Operations Manager, conducted a tour of the container terminal highlighting the automated gates linked to the terminal management system which enables trucks to be automatically processed. Within the terminal, coloured road markings help drivers (particularly those with low levels of English) to easily navigate to the correct area. Drivers are not allowed out of their cabs in the operational areas which has increased safety in the terminal.

The port deals with a large amount of out-of-gauge and drive-on cargo, meaning the port operatives have to be trained and competent in a large variety of plant.

These visits are invaluable; they ground PSS’s national work in local realities and ensure the approach to guidance, campaigns, and collaborative learning reflects the operational context of ports. PSS extends thanks to PD Ports, especially to Alan for taking time out to host us for the day and all who joined us across the day for their warm welcome and open discussion. Members interested in hosting a PSS visit are encouraged to get in touch.