Eight employees of Stevedoring Services have successfully completed a comprehensive port-worker training programme.

The education was delivered in partnership with the Port Management Association of the Caribbean and the Caribbean Maritime University.

It was conducted on-site in Bermuda and concluded on September 25, under the instruction of Radcliffe Spence, a CMU Jamaica professor.

Stephen Astwood, Darius Cox, Seion Darrell, Jason Ingham, Shamar Jabbar, Manoj Paynter, Zekiro White and Keenan Williams are now qualified to work on docks throughout the Caribbean.

SSL first partnered with CMU in 2015, with its inaugural Bermuda-based training cohort launched in 2017. The ongoing partnership supports parent company Polaris Holding Company’s broader succession-planning strategy as experienced employees retire and new talent enters the workforce.

The programme provides specialised development opportunities through entry-level, experienced-workers and management training tracks.

Professor Spence said: “It has been a genuine pleasure to return to Bermuda to facilitate training for another cohort of stevedores at SSL. Over the past two weeks, participants showed an outstanding commitment to learning, safety and professional growth, engaging thoughtfully with both theory and practical exercises and drawing on their valuable on-the-job experience.”

He said the cohort’s enthusiasm, strong teamwork and readiness to adopt industry best practices made this training especially rewarding.

“I am confident that the knowledge and skills gained will contribute to safer, more efficient port operations in Bermuda,” he said. “I sincerely thank the management of SSL for their continued partnership and wish each participant every success in their careers.”

Cheryl Hayward-Chew, the chairwoman of Polaris, told graduates: “Your successful completion of this training programme reflects a strong commitment to excellence, safety and professional development.

“The work performed on our docks is critical to the movement of goods and the strength of our economy and the knowledge and skills you have gained will contribute to safer, more efficient port operations.”