APM Terminals strengthens OEM training requirements by embedding evidence-based deliverables in new tenders

APM Terminals’ journey toward becoming a world-class asset management organisation has progressed from improving maintenance practices to standardising how technical capability is built, verified and sustained across terminals.

In this next step, APM Terminals is raising the bar by embedding clear Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) training requirements directly into new tenders, making competence transfer measurable, auditable and contractually enforceable.

To support the shift from reactive maintenance to more predictive asset management, a global team has been aligning technical development with operational needs, the Technical Competency Framework, and proven industry practices. The objective: ensure that training delivery - especially for commissioning and major renewals - results in verified capability on the ground, not just “training completed” statements.

OEM training requirements embedded in new tenders

In selected terminals such as Suape, Brazil, the OEM training requirements package has been strengthened to standardise training delivery for commissioning and major renewals, aligned with the Technical Competency Framework and industry good practices. This approach creates a common baseline across equipment families while still allowing OEM-specific depth where it matters.

Minimum contract-evidence deliverables

A key change is that training must come with minimum evidence deliverables that can be consistently audited. These include:

• Attendance record (date, hours, instructor)
• Theory exam result (score + pass/fail)
• Supervised practical checklist + assessor sign-off (if applicable)
• On The Job Training (OJT) sign-off + task scope (if applicable)
• OEM certificate/diploma PDF or an OEM “verified list”
• Training/material version control + reference to current OEM documentation.

“The goal is to make competence transfer transparent and repeatable,” explains Iván García Jorquera, Competence Development Specialist at APM Terminals.

“When we can verify learning outcomes through standard evidence, we protect safety, improve reliability, and make renewals and commissioning more efficient”.

Payment enforcement and consistent compliance

To ensure adoption, training deliverables are now linked to payment milestones. This enables consistent auditing and compliance across equipment families, reduces ambiguity in what “training delivered” means, and supports a more disciplined end-to-end execution model - from training plan to validated capability.

Two-way benefits for OEMs and terminals

For OEMs, this creates a clearer, more predictable framework to demonstrate value and reinforce long-term partnerships. For terminals, it reduces rework, improves fault diagnosis and repair quality, strengthens safety performance, and supports higher availability—particularly during critical commissioning and renewal phases.

APM Terminals invites OEMs to collaborate on training materials, evidence standards, and competence validation methods that can help set a new benchmark for the port industry - one where skills are not assumed, but proven.