Case study: Dover Harbour Board
Customer
G4S Security Services (UK) has worked with Dover Harbour Board since February 2004.
The Port of Dover is one of the country’s leading cruise ports and handles an average of 140 ship visits a year. Services that G4S provides for the contract include baggage checking and handling, passenger screening, passenger services, mooring assistance, stores and cargo loading.
Challenge
Before G4S was awarded the contract, an in-house team provided the security. Having realised that it was too costly to retain full time staff who were unproductive at certain periods of the year, Dover Harbour Board took the decision to outsource the security provision. This set up would reduce the number of staff employed directly by the customer, and also redefine the pay structure internally. The customer’s key objective when looking for a security provider for this busy port was to outsource to a supplier who had the experience, qualifications and capability to manage a range of dockside services to cruise ships. The supplier had to qualify by being able to improve upon, and be value for money, against an in-house set up.
Robin Dodridge, Head of Landside Operations, the Port of Dover, said G4S’s expertise in the manned security sector, along with its expertise in maritime security, were important factors in the choice. “Of all the companies short listed as potential suppliers, G4S demonstrated that it has the right combination of industry knowledge, people and expertise to work with us in the long term. G4S understands the importance of mitigating security risk while maintaining excellent customer service levels for passengers.”
G4S solution
In consultation with Dover Harbour Board, G4S tailored a solution to manage the whole dockside services. A process was drawn up that allows us to manage the ‘soup to nuts’ process whenever a cruise ships calls for either a port of call or a turnaround. To enable us to achieve this, a plan was implemented which allows G4S to recruit and retain a bank of staff that fluctuates throughout the season. Consequently G4S is able to provide a year round solution that meets the needs of both Dover Harbour Board and the cruise ship companies.
Scope of services
G4S supplies a range of skilled staff to provide the following services at the Port of Dover:- Security supervisors and security staff that are trained to ISPS levels and are trained and competent in the use of x-ray and search
- Electric tow truck operators (for pulling trailers with luggage on)
- Qualified and licensed dockside forklift drivers
- JCB tele-loadal operators and banksmen who manage the loading of pallets of stock on to the cruise ship
- Carousel operators who convey baggage from check in to onboard the ship
- Mini bus drivers who transport passengers with restricted mobility
- Teams that moor the ship to the jetty
- Porters to assist with hand baggage
- On board teams to assist in the unloading/loading of luggage
- Skilled quayside supervisors and quayside teams to assist in loading the vessel with fresh stores, water, unloading of waste including Cat 1 food waste
- Fully skilled mooring supervisors with a VHF licence to communicate with the port’s pilot when bringing a ship onto the berth
- Qualified mobility assistants
- Cruise supervisors with the skills and qualifications of all port services offered.
Results
Since the start of the contract, G4S has provided a fully managed service to the customer. By employing a team of fully trained and qualified management and staff to operate quayside and port services, including security, the customer can concentrate fully on the operational side of running the port successfully.We are able to provide the resources to manage varying numbers of staff to cope with seasonal requirements, thereby ensuring the operation is run as cost-effectively as possible.
Our services form a large element in the overall service that determines if a ship sails on time. If we fail, there is a risk that the ship could be delayed. Testament to our success with this contract, the security team has never, to date, affected the late sailing of a ship.
We believe that this contract underlines the strength of our maritime proposition, and demonstrates an understanding of the market in which our customer operates and the specific challenges faced.
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