Main Job Purpose:
Lead and manage all marine and harbor operations to ensure the safe, efficient, reliable, compliant, and commercially sustainable delivery of port marine services. The role is responsible for overseeing vessel entry and departure, vessel movement control, pilotage, towage, salvage, marine craft operations and maintenance, cargo-handling interfaces, emergency preparedness, regulatory compliance, and marine business development. The position also ensures compliance with applicable national and international maritime laws, conventions, port and customs regulations, environmental requirements, client expectations, and approved organizational objectives.
Key Accountabilities Provide strategic and operational leadership for the Marine and Harbor Operations function in line with approved organizational objectives, customer requirements, and applicable regulatory obligations. Oversee the planning and daily execution of port marine operations, including operations at busy cargo-transfer points. Manage marine operations, including pilotage, towage, salvage, berthing, unberthing, vessel traffic coordination, and marine craft deployment, to ensure safe, efficient, and uninterrupted service delivery. Authorize and control the entry and departure of vessels and oversee vessel movements within the port area, approaches, channels, anchorages, and berths. Ensure vessels navigate safely within the port area while balancing operational safety, commercial requirements, environmental protection, and the sustainability of the port ecosystem. Oversee operational coordination between marine services, terminal operations, and cargo-handling activities to support safe operations and efficient vessel turnaround. Review, develop, implement, and enforce policies, procedures, controls, and operating standards relating to port operations, navigation, safety, security, environmental protection, transportation, and customs requirements. Ensure compliance with applicable national and international maritime laws, shipping conventions, treaties, regulations, standards, forms, documentation, and reporting requirements. Maintain awareness of and ensure compliance with international and national legal requirements relating to vessel inspection, restriction, and detention. Oversee vessel inspection findings, deficiencies, restrictions, and detention cases in coordination with the relevant competent authorities. Coordinate with port, customs, security, environmental, transport, regulatory, and other competent authorities regarding vessel movements, inspections, incidents, compliance matters, and vessel detention cases. Prepare and submit accurate and timely reports to the relevant Ports and Customs authorities and other competent agencies concerning:Compliance with applicable Ports and Customs regulations, laws, treaties, and maritime conventions. Port, vessel, cargo, personnel, safety, security, environmental, and customs matters. Vessel movements, inspections, deficiencies, incidents, restrictions, and detention cases. Prepare, justify, and monitor annual operating and capital budgets, control operating costs, analyze financial performance, and implement corrective and improvement actions. Drive marine business development within the Red Sea market by promoting services, identifying new commercial opportunities, strengthening customer relationships, and supporting sustainable revenue growth. Oversee marine craft maintenance planning and execution to maximize asset availability, reliability, utilization, operational readiness, and return on investment. Ensure the effective management of marine assets, equipment, facilities, and resources to support operational requirements. Maintain emergency-response and crisis-management readiness and ensure timely coordination with relevant focal points, emergency services, clients, and competent authorities during incidents or emergencies. Ensure effective communication and coordination with all relevant internal and external stakeholders to support operational continuity, regulatory compliance, and service quality. Lead the recruitment, performance management, succession planning, competency assurance, certification, training, and development of pilots, tug masters, seafarers, marine officers, and support personnel. Promote continuous improvement, productivity enhancement, cost optimization, operational discipline, and the adoption of international maritime and port-management best practices. Review and approve operational, regulatory, financial, safety, security, environmental, and performance reports. Identify, assess, and mitigate marine, navigational, operational, environmental, safety, and commercial risks. Attend and oversee operations at docks, berths, marine facilities, and operational areas under different weather conditions. Remain available to work outside normal working hours when operational requirements, vessel movements, emergencies, or incidents require attendance. Job Requirements Education:Bachelor’s degree in Nautical Science, Marine Transportation, Maritime Studies, Marine Engineering, Port Management, Engineering, Business Administration, or a related discipline. Master’s degree in a relevant discipline is preferred. Certificates and Licences:Valid Maritime Certificate of Competency as a Master Mariner or Chief Mate, in accordance with applicable International Maritime Organization requirements and the STCW Convention, is highly preferred. Certificate of Competency Class I is preferred. Relevant maritime or professional certifications may include:STCW certification. ISM Code awareness. ISPS Code awareness. Incident Command or Emergency Response certification. Vessel Traffic Management certification. Port Management certification. Other equivalent maritime, navigation, safety, or port-related qualifications. Experience At least 16+ years of progressive experience in marine services, port operations, maritime operations, or a related field. At least 5 years of experience in a senior leadership or management role. Demonstrated experience in:Port and harbor operations. Vessel navigation and vessel movement control. Pilotage, towage, salvage, and marine craft operations. Port operations and cargo handling. Planning and managing operations at busy cargo-transfer points. Application of international maritime conventions and standards. Vessel inspection, deficiency management, restriction, and detention procedures. Ship safety and safe navigation. Port commercial operations and marine business development. Coordination with port, customs, security, environmental, transport, and regulatory authorities. Marine asset management and craft maintenance. Budgeting, cost control, financial analysis, and operational improvement. Emergency response and incident management.