Challenge

Mawani required a coordinated training programme to address variation in how international standards were understood and applied across headquarters and four port locations. The breadth of maritime, safety, quality, environmental and security requirements, combined with differing operational roles and responsibilities, meant that knowledge and interpretation were not uniform across the organisation. 

Solution

Lloyd’s Register (LR) Advisory was commissioned to design and deliver a coordinated training programme that established a common framework for skills development across Mawani’s leadership, operational and technical roles, supporting consistent interpretation and use across functions and locations. The 
programme aligned with the Authority’s wider objectives around safety, operational efficiency and competitiveness within Saudi Arabia’s maritime sector.

Training was deliberately segmented by audience, with tailored delivery for senior leadership and port executives, operational management teams and technical, inspection, safety and security personnel. This reflected the distinct responsibilities and decision making contexts across the organisation.

Approach taken

The programme was delivered over a six-month period through a structured series of classroom-based and in company training sessions, held across headquarters, port locations and dedicated training centres. Selected modules incorporated best practices and case studies to support practical understanding of operational scenarios. Content was aligned with maritime and port international standards and conventions, with delivery primarily in English and selected sessions supported in Arabic to aid understanding of technical material.

Key activities & outputs

  • Delivered 36 bespoke training courses to 140 Mawani professionals across headquarters and two port locations
  • Designed and delivered a structured portfolio 
    of training covering:
    • Leadership development– Port operations and modernisation, including scenario-based workshops
    • Green Ports and Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG)
    •  Quality Management System and Environmental Management System:
      • SO 9001:2015 and ISO 14001:2015 awareness
    • System implementation and Internal auditor – Technical and regulatory: 
      • SOLAS, MARPOL, MLC, STCW, the Ballast Water Management Convention, the ISPS Code and the IMDG Code

Key client benefits

  • A structured training framework aligned with recognised international standards
  • Role-relevant training across the organisation
  • Consistent knowledge transfer across headquarters and two port locations
  • Development of national competencies

Project outcome

Mawani personnel completed role-specific training, with programme completion formally recognised through a certificate delivery ceremony held at Mawani’s headquarters in Riyadh. The programme represents the most extensive single client training programme delivered by LR Advisory.

Conclusion

The programme enabled Mawani to deliver training at scale in a structured and deliberate way, ensuring that personnel across different roles and locations were working from a shared baseline of understanding. By bringing consistency to how training was designed and delivered, the programme supported a more aligned organisational approach to meeting the demands placed on a national port authority operating within a complex regulatory and operational environment.

Impact on client's business & operations

The programme improved consistency in standards-based knowledge across Mawani’s port network, supporting more uniform application of international requirements across departments and locations.

Other applications

The training approach is applicable to other port authorities and maritime organisations seeking to build capability across leadership, operational and technical roles. The standards-aligned structure provides a model for delivering consistent training across multiple locations and professional functions where organisations operate against a wide range of international maritime, safety, quality, environmental and security requirements.