Undertake passenger vessel operations

This standard covers the competence required to provide support and information to passengers.  It applies to anyone who has first line contact with customers within a port.  This could be dealing with customer problems, ensuring the safe transfer of passengers to and from vessels, and assisting with enquiries.  This standard also covers controlling vehicle movements within a port, using direction signs and marshalling techniques.  Vehicles may arrive at the port by road, rail or from a vessel.  It is also about the safe transfer of passengers to outlying islands, or in larger ports, to river piers, which includes assisting to berth the vessels and providing gangways for passengers. 

This standard also covers the competence required to process travel documents.  It is about checking and processing the travel documents of people arriving at ports.  Such people can, include passengers and freight drivers.  Travel documents can therefore include tickets, passports, delivery and related papers.

This standard also covers the competence required to process luggage.  It is about identifying, sorting and moving the baggage of passengers arriving at ports.  It is important that passengers' baggage is identified, sorted and moved on correctly and in an efficient manner to ensure the security of the port.

Target Group

This standard applies to port workers who are required to undertake passenger vessel operations.

There are 6 elements in this standard:

• Give customers a positive impression of yourself and your organisation (Performance Criteria 1-10)

• Control vehicle movements (Performance Criteria 11-21)

• Resolve customer service problems (Performance Criteria 22-32)

• Transfer passengers to/from small vessels (Performance Criteria 33-39)

• Process travel documents (Performance Criteria 40-43)

• Process baggage (Performance Criteria 44-51)

1. meet the organisation’s standards for appearance and behaviour
2. greet customers in a way that is appropriate to their needs
3. identify and confirm the needs and expectations of customers
4. maintain communication with customers by ensuring that they are kept informed and reassured
5. respond appropriately to customers who indicate that they need or want attention
6. check with the customer that their needs and expectations are fully understood
7. locate information that will help the customer
8. give customers the information that they need about the service offered by the organisation
9. recognise information that customers might find complicated and check whether they understand fully
10. explain to customers any reasons why their needs or expectations cannot be met 
11. plan for anticipated vehicle movements within the port, ahead of their arrival 
12. identify and obtain all relevant information appropriate to preparing for the movement of vehicles 
13. confirm that vehicle access routes are clear, with direction signage placed visibly, and any ramps or linkspans secure and safe for use, ahead of vehicle arrivals
14. confirm that the required public services and facilities to assist effective vehicle movements are in place
15. direct drivers to the proper locations, maintaining a smooth traffic flow, and ensure that vehicles are positioned and segregated
16. monitor traffic movement, identifying areas of potential and actual congestion, and address these
17. check that traffic movement complies with the organisation’s policy and statutory requirements
18. report to the relevant person any difficulties in preparing for, and in managing the movement of vehicles through the port
19. direct vehicle movements using hand signals
20. identify drivers needing assistance, and approach and offer help in a professional manner whilst avoiding causing undue delay to other vehicles
21. ensure any actions are designed to maintain the safety and security of own self, drivers, their passengers and other port users at all times, being in line with the organisation’s policies and procedures relating to security and the safe and efficient movement of vehicles
22. gather and interpret information from customers about problems which they have raised asking the appropriate questions to check understanding of their problems
23. identify repeated problems and alert the appropriate authority
24. share customer feedback with others to help identify potential problems before they occur
25. work independently, or with others, to identify problems with systems and procedures before they begin to affect customers
26. identify available options for resolving customer service problems
27. consult with others to identify and confirm the options available to resolve those problems
28. work out the advantages and disadvantages of each option and select the best overall option for the customer and organisation 
29. discuss and agree the proposed option for solving the problems with customers and take action to implement the option
30. work with others and customers to make sure that any commitments related to solving the problem are kept
31. keep customers fully informed about what is happening to resolve problems
32. check with the customer to make sure the problem has been solved to their satisfaction giving clear reasons to the customer when the problem has not been resolved to their satisfaction
33. confirm that public and working areas are clean, tidy and free from obstructions and hazards ahead of the vessel’s arrival or departure 
34. identify and obtain the equipment required for berthing and for transferring passengers, and confirm that it is in good working order before commencing operations
35. establish and maintain clear communications with relevant personnel during berthing operations and whilst transferring passengers
36. maintain a tidy and smart appearance, wearing the appropriate clothing
37. transfer passengers following the proper berthing procedures for vessels
38. take proper consideration of the prevailing weather and tidal conditions
39. deal with any incidents or accidents to passengers, reporting these to the relevant person

40. check that individuals’ travel documents are complete, up to date and valid for the journey being undertaken

41. identify any discrepancies in the travel documentation referring them to the appropriate authority 

42. ensure only individuals with complete and authorised travel documentation are permitted to enter restricted areas
43. provide individuals with onward directions for their next part of the journey through the port 
44. assess baggage to be processed, identifying its destination and any factors that require special attention when processing
45. ensure that any damaged, unlabelled, unaccompanied, or suspect baggage is dealt with in line with organisation procedure
46. ensure any baggage requiring security assessment is referred immediately to the relevant authority
47. ensure that baggage is moved on time to the designated location using the most suited method of transport
48. ensure that all care is taken to avoid causing damage to baggage being processed
49. handle heavy damaged or awkwardly shaped baggage using manual handling safety principles 
50. report any lost, unclaimed or damaged baggage 
51. monitor all activities and the whereabouts of individuals within the vicinity of the operations, and take appropriate action to address any unsafe situations

1. what customers’ rights are and how these rights limit what can be done for the customer
2. the specific aspects of, health and safety, data protection, equal opportunities, and disability discrimination, and legislation and regulations that affect the way the products or services you deal with can be delivered to your customers
3. industry, organisational and professional codes of practice and ethical standards that affect the way the products or services dealt with can be delivered to your customers
4. contractual agreements that customers may have with the organisation
5. the products or services of the organisation relevant to a customer service role
6. the guidelines laid down by the organisation that limit what can be done within your job role
7. limits of own authority and when it is necessary to seek agreement with or permission from others
8. any organisational targets relevant to own job role and the implications for the organisation if those targets are not met
9. how to communicate in a clear, polite, confident way and why this is important
10. how to recognise when a customer is angry and confused
11. organisational standards for appearance and behaviour
12. organisational guidelines for recognising customers’ needs and expectations and responding to them
13. the rules and procedures regarding the methods of communication used
14. the factors that could constitute a risk to safety, including hazards and obstructions to passenger movement and other port operations
15. the importance of ensuring that directions provided to passengers are accurate
16. the procedures and techniques for communicating using hand signals
17. how to communicate and listen actively, including how to seek feedback to confirm understanding
18. how to identify vehicle destinations and how to interpret the principal traffic signs found within a port
19. the organisation’s policies and procedures relating to passenger operations, including those addressing legislative requirements regarding ‘safe practice’ and the movement of pedestrians and vehicles, and be aware of the relevant sections of this legislation
20. the organisation’s procedures for dealing with vehicle breakdown
21. the organisation’s policy and procedures relating to maintaining security within own area of operations
22. the organisation’s procedures for accessing further information, assistance and specialist support
23. the procedures and techniques for using communication equipment according to your organisation’s requirements
24. the limits of own authority and responsibility and to whom to refer in situations where these are exceeded
25. how to comply with organisational requirements relating to traffic management, including the response to traffic congestion in the port area
26. organisational emergency plans and procedures, the roles and responsibilities of those involved, and the resources available for dealing with incidents
27. the physical layout of your port area, relevant to own area of operations
28. the purpose and limitation of personal protective equipment and life-saving gear for use on or near water
29. how to apply the principal methods for communicating with small vessels
30. organisational procedures for berthing small vessels
31. organisational procedures for transferring passengers
32. organisational procedures for identifying and dealing with safety risks and incidents associated with transferring passengers to/from small vessels
33. the location of, and how to use, first-aid, safety and emergency equipment within the port
34. the principal types of travel documents and associated papers and how to validate these, and address any discrepancies
35. organisational procedures for storing unaccompanied baggage, and for dealing with awkward-shaped, damaged, unclaimed or suspect baggage

36. how other port operations may impact upon the baggage handling process

37. organisational procedures for identifying, sorting and moving baggage organisational procedures for storing
    unaccompanied baggage, and for dealing with awkward-shaped, damaged, unclaimed or suspect baggage