In the context of Mauritius entering a modern phase of development, a talk was held on

Thursday, the 8
th
of August 2013, bearing a head topic related to the Port Developments, the job
prospects in that particular field and the associated technical services provided.

Starting with a technical definition of a seaport, a primary emphasis was laid on its history,
which dates back to the colonial era, and an overview of the conventional machines that were
used. With that, came along, the latters evolution to fully mechanized ones, thus reducing man
power.

Being critically important, the different port infrastructures were explained as to how they have
been structurally designed to cater for their stability and long term future, taking into
consideration the physical conditions to which they are daily subjected.

Mauritius is heading towards a service-oriented economy. The most significant services provided
in the marine industry are related to the seaport and free port facilities. These include activities
such as bunkering, dealing in sea food, cargo handling and exportation of local goods amongst
others. These services contribute to around 2% of our GDP and have prospered according to the
forecasts made by economists. However, in the aftermath of the global turmoil in 2008, the
relevant forecasts have been reviewed to be in line with the changes brought about.



With a wide range of equipment being used daily, the Port Authority has established a
department for the provision of technical assistance, which is required to ensure a proper
maintenance of all machines. The hierarchy of that department now ranges from an electrical
engineer to highly-skilled technicians, due to the complexity of modern technology. A broad
function of each specialized machine was also stated.

According to recent statistics, it has been shown that the port activities are extremely energy-
intensive and are likely to affect the environment. To prevent this and to integrate themselves in
the national project of Maurice Ile Durable, strategic plans have been devised by a panel of
experts to work towards a green port, hence following in the footsteps of renowned international
ports. Not only energy costs are reduced, but also the biodiversity of the sea and other
environmental concerns, regarding pollution, are being cared for.

From an engineering context, this talk was found to be very interesting, particularly due to
marvelous structures in place and the application of basic sciences to an expanding industry. Im
looking forward to many more such activities in the near future.