APM Terminals Apapa: Matching local talents with global opportunities

Samuel Oluwabamidele Dada, a Reliability Engineer began his career with APM Terminals Apapa in 2009. Today he is with the Global Reliability Team at APM Terminals Panama. John Adeyemo, a Planning Superintendent is a pioneer staff of APM Terminals Apapa. In a few weeks, he will be at the Port of Salalah, Oman, for a three-month Short-Term Assignment. Both men share their experiences working with the APM Terminals Brand.

A Global Reliability Engineer with the Global Asset Maintenance Team based at APM Terminals Panama, Samuel Oluwabamidele Dada, began his exciting new role in October 2023. As part of the Reliability, Availability and Maintainability team (RAM),Samuelsupports all APM Terminals across the continents through review, rationalizing and optimization of equipment preventive maintenance routines, conducting equipment failure analysis for fire incidents and safety related issues, facilitating advanced root cause analysis and conducting RAMS analysis.

He says, “I started my career at APM Terminals Apapa as a Maintenance Planner in the Asset Management Team in 2009. In this role, I was responsible for overseeing the end -to-endmaintenance work management processthrough IFS-CMMS, Maintenance Performance Reporting and Monitoring, Spare Part and Material Planning, Budget Planning and Control, and IFS-CMMS super user during IFS10 implementation at the terminal.

“Over the next 14 years, I have held several roles: Maintenance Controller, Acting Maintenance Planning Manager, and lastly,Reliability Manager.”

As Reliability Manager, Samuel led a team of reliability specialists to drive Apapa’sAsset Management team from a reactive maintenance organization to a more proactive maintenance organization. This includedoverseeing the statutory and regulatory asset inspections and certification, and conductingroot cause analysis for failures and recommending counter measures for re-occurrence.

In August 2021, a meeting with the APM Terminals Global Asset Management Leadership teamwho was on a visit to Apapa for a project, changed the course of Samuel’s career. The Global Reliability Manager who was part of the team, was impressed with the Reliability standards in Apapa’s Asset Management team. 

Samuel recalls, “During the Global Asset MaintenanceToolbox Roll-out for Apapa, I got the opportunity to meet with the Global Asset Management Leadership team.They were impressed with the maturity level of the reliability team in Apapa and with my terminal experience in the field of Asset Management, Reliability and Maintenance.

“The Global Reliability Manager told me there was an opening in the Asset Management Center of Excellence in Panama. He believed I would be a very good fit for the role based on my terminal experience and my certification in Reliability. In addition, he believedmy experience and expertise could be better harnessed to support APM Terminals in the field of Reliability on a global scale.”

After due consultations with his Line Manager at Apapa, Samuel applied for the role. The interview process was a competitive one. However, he emerged as the successful candidate. Now in Panama since October 2023, Samuel feels highly motivated and engaged and finds the opportunity to support APM terminals to ensure lifting equipment are Available,Reliable and Safe for use at all times.

He says, “On-boarding was smooth with necessary support provided by the Human Resources Latin American team. Adapting to a new culture and environment has been a wonderful experience and working with colleagues from different cultural backgrounds has been exciting; that is one of the highlights of the role.”

During Samuel’s time at Apapa, he underwent trainings in IS05500(Asset Management Standards);ISO9001(Quality Management System);ISO31000(Risk Management System);PRINCE2(Projects IN Controlled Environments); Maintenance and Reliability;RCM (Reliability Centered Maintenance);Document Control, Management System and Maintenance Planning; Microsoft Power BI and Lean.

John Olaleye Adeyemo on the other hand is an Operations Personnel whose roledirectly interfaces with Apapa’s Equipment Operations at the quayside and yard. A Chartered Accountant, John joined APM Terminals Apapa after a brief stint with Maersk.

He said,“I have been an employee since the inception of the terminal in 2006. I was meant to be employedas a Tally Clerk but a colleague at Maersk who knew my capabilities recommended,that I instead be movedto the Planning Department as a Cargo Controller.

“Back then, the job was tasking because the company was just starting offand structures were still being put in place. However, people were brought in to train us on the job and with time, I became adept in my role as Cargo Controller. I was in this role for four years before moving to another role. I am currently a Planning Superintendent, supervising all the Planners in the Operations Command Centre.”

Like all APM Terminals employees, John has over the years undergone several trainings to improve his knowledge of the job and enhance efficiency. Some of these trainings which include the Lean training program, Job Relations and Leader Standard Work Training,have resulted into the execution of projects still in use at the terminal.

John recounts, “Some years ago, the terminal arranged a five-day training on International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) segregation pattern. We were instructed on the different classes of IMDG cargo andthe appropriate method of safely storing them in the yard. Equipped with new information from the training, I with some of my colleagues started a project to segregate IMDG cargo in the terminal yard based on their classification. The method we initiated back then is still in use today at the terminal.”

Now, John is preparing for a Short Time Assignment at the Port of Salalah, Oman; the second most efficient port in the world. During this three-month STA, John is expected to study the operations of the terminal, especially as regards the Planning function. Excited about the STA, John views this as an opportunity that would expand his technical expertise and grow his career.

“This is a more advanced port that also handles other types of cargo other than containerized cargo. The plan is to understudy their Yard Strategy and Planning; theirs is more advanced and the knowledge can also be applied here in Apapa.

“I would also like to know how things are being done there operationally. They use the Ship-To-Shore cranes at Salalah which is different from our Mobile Harbour Cranes. I am also interested in their Stowage Planning. This involves planning the location of containers on ships according to their destination port.  This is important so that it is easy and quick for the terminals to retrieve containers meant for them, without wasting much time locating their containers on the vessel. This is a new experience that I look forward to,” John added.

Terminal Manager, Steen Knudsen, says a sizable investment is allocated annually, in terms of time and resources to the development of employees.

“For instance, in 2021, we invested over N50 million in employee development programs spread across various professional skills.

“Additionally, we offer opportunities for them to work in different environments around the world, by taking advantage of our global network of terminals. Through this exposure, we can foster international standards at Apapa.

“We must be ready for tomorrow’s challenges by ensuring our employees are continuously updated with the required skills and technical expertise to deliver world class services to our customers. This is one of our five core values; Constant Care, taking care of today, while actively preparing for tomorrow,”he says.