Global Safety Day at APM Terminals Port Elizabeth

At APM Terminals Port Elizabeth, safety is more than a policy, it’s a mindset we embrace daily. This year’s Global Safety Day, held on September 12, 2024, brought that message to life with the theme, “Be Curious… because we care.” In an environment where conditions change rapidly and unexpectedly, the ability to stay curious, ask questions and anticipate risks is crucial to maintaining the safety of our employees, our partners and the surrounding community.

Each day, our terminal handles an enormous volume of activity, with 5,000 to 6,000 trucks passing through and 750 pieces of equipment in use at any given time across a 350-acre facility. The scale of our operations makes vigilance essential, and it’s this “healthy unease” that drives us to always be looking for potential risks and thinking about how to respond before it's too late.

“Be Curious” in a Dynamic Workplace

Henrik Kristensen, Managing Director, APM Terminals Port Elizabeth, spoke to the importance of this year’s theme:

"Safety is not static – our environment is constantly evolving, and with it, the risks we face,” said Kristensen. “That’s why curiosity is critical to our safety culture. It’s about fostering a mindset where employees are always asking, ‘What could go wrong here?’ or ‘What am I missing?’ It’s that sense of healthy unease that keeps us alert and prepared."

In a facility as dynamic as a container terminal, complacency is the enemy of safety. Conditions can change in an instant, and small oversights can lead to big consequences. Whether it’s managing dangerous goods, operating heavy machinery, or directing traffic flow, we rely on our employees to be proactive in identifying hazards and potential solutions. By staying curious, we reduce the likelihood of incidents and ensure that when they do happen, their impact is minimized.

A terminal’s safety challenges go beyond what meets the eye. From environmental concerns and asset operation to security protocols and the wellness of the ILA labor force, safety encompasses every facet of daily work. This year’s Global Safety Day was a reminder that safety doesn’t just happen by accident; it’s the result of preparation, training, and a constant drive to learn and improve.

“I am incredibly proud of our HSSE team for their outstanding work over the past year,” said Kristensen. “Their dedication to safety, constant reminders and support for our employees and stevedores are truly commendable. Their patience and resilience are key to our success in maintaining a safe working environment.”

Collaboration with Emergency Responders: A Key to Preparedness

A major focus of this year’s event was the strengthening of relationships with local emergency responders. Representatives from the Port Authority Police Department, New Jersey State Police, Port Authority Fire and Rescue, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection joined us to share their expertise and collaborate on safety initiatives. These partnerships are invaluable in ensuring we’re ready to respond to accidents and emergencies, both within the terminal and in the surrounding region.

"We work closely with emergency responders because we know that when an incident occurs, every second counts,” said Candice Revill, APM Terminals Port Elizabeth’s HSSE (Health, Safety, Security & Environment) Director. “By building strong relationships with these teams, we’re not only preparing ourselves for emergencies, we’re also making sure that they have the knowledge and access they need to help us when it matters most.”

This collaboration is a two-way street. By welcoming emergency responders onto the terminal for drills and exercises, we equip them with the familiarity and insights they need to act swiftly and effectively in the event of an emergency.

The spirit of curiosity also extends to our collaborations with external stakeholders, whether it’s vendors of our safety equipment, local authorities, or industry partners. Every relationship is an opportunity to share resources, learn from one another, and enhance our overall safety protocols.

Safety is Not the Absence of Incidents

While safety is our top priority, we recognize that incidents are inevitable in such a complex and fast-paced environment. But, as Revill reminds us, safety isn’t about eliminating incidents entirely — it’s about minimizing their consequences and learning from them.

"We focus on being prepared for when things do go wrong,” said Revill. “Curiosity drives us to ask, ‘What could happen next, and how can we prepare for it? What are the critical controls needed to prevent catastrophic outcomes? How do we fail safely?’ That’s what allows us to reduce the impact of incidents and keep our people safe.”

With a well-prepared team and clear safety protocols in place, we are able to respond to incidents quickly, ensuring that the consequences are minimized and that the lessons learned are applied moving forward.

Bringing It All Together: The Value of Global Safety Day

Global Safety Day provides a unique opportunity to bring together our full team, along with emergency responders and other key stakeholders, to reflect on our shared commitment to safety. This year, the theme “Be Curious… because we care” reinforced the idea that safety is not just about following procedures — it’s about staying engaged, asking questions, and always looking for ways to improve.

By dedicating time to learning and building relationships, we strengthen our ability to respond to challenges and create a safer, more resilient terminal. As we move forward, we’ll continue to encourage our team to stay curious, because it’s through curiosity that we grow, adapt, and, ultimately, keep our terminal safe. It’s a day to celebrate the partnership with our labor employees to reflect and engage on matters that make the terminal safer.  This year we incorporated some interactive safe driving games to raise awareness around this very real risk we have and reinforce the controls we have in place to prevent harm and injury to our people.