Port productivity: how simulation put SVTI back on the path to profitability

In terminals, performance is not solely determined by infrastructure: operator training becomes a major accelerator of productivity and quality. In Chile, the SVTI terminal (San Vicente Terminal Internacional) explains that it has initiated a significant turnaround by integrating simulation into its crane operator training program, with a clear objective: to move out of a deficit situation and regain commercial confidence.

The starting point was critical: competitive pressure, regional overcapacity, and the imperative to secure new clients. To convince, SVTI had to demonstrate consistent operational capacity, particularly on a concrete indicator of productivity per shift. The internal analysis highlighted two complementary levers: improving equipment availability (maintenance/asset management) and accelerating the skill development of operators.

The simulation provided an immediate advantage: training without immobilizing costly assets, repeating complex scenarios (weather, incidents, activity peaks), and shortening the time before being operational in real conditions. Result: Fewer “crane” hours consumed for training, savings on maintenance, and better standardization of practices. SVTI also highlights broader benefits: strengthening the safety culture, improving social relationships, and reducing emissions by transferring part of the training away from real machines.

In a port market where SLAs and continuity are decisive, the SVTI story underscores a fundamental trend: “performance thru competence,” driven as an industrial investment, becomes as important a commercial argument as the physical capacity of the terminal.

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