The head of the training department at the maritime trai ning institute under the Arabic local education authority of science and technol o gy, Dr Mohamed Issam, on Tuesday highlighted the need for North African countrie s to implement strategic plans to develop their harbours.
He urged countries to develop the basic infrastructure for harbours, modernize o rganizations offering ports services and train personnel in ports institutions i n view of the progress noted in the sector of maritime transport.
â?The development level for a country is determined by its capacity of producti vity regarding the activities of its maritime harbour, particularly the system o f containers, the transit operations and the volume of trade with other harbours, â ? he said in an interview with PANA in Tripoli during the first meeting for dire ctors of institutes and training centres in the maritime domain for member count r ies of the Union of Managing Boards in North Africa’s harbours.
He added that without high-level harbour with huge economic profitability, no co untry can have an integrated economy opened to foreign trade particularly on the
scale of imports and exports.
Dr Issam said that Arab countries were characterized by long and wide maritime c oasts and high-level harbours, expressing regret at the â?the weakness in trade between these various harboursâ? as well as â?the shortages of competences with in senior executives and personnelsâ? working in these ports.
