22 July 2021
The people who ensure the smooth delivery of the business activity at Pembroke Port and on the Milford Haven Waterway are key to the success of the operations here. From our own team members, to businesses based in and around the former Royal Dockyard, the wider supply chain and other key stakeholders, our regular feature will celebrate the hard working people of Pembroke Port who deliver such a positive impact on the local economy and community.
This month we spoke to Howard Rose, Security Supervisor at Pembroke Dock Ferry Terminal. Howard tells us about his role and his team, his most memorable day in work and how he plans to perfect his piano playing skills.
Name: Howard Rose
Job Role: Security Supervisor
How long have you worked here? Almost a year
As the Pembroke Dock Ferry Terminal Security Supervisor, I am responsible for the port security in and around the restricted area here. Additionally, I am the first line supervisor for the staff in the Gatehouse, Search and Terminal Teams. I am a Deputy Port Facility Security Officer (DPFSO), so am responsible for maintaining the Department of Transport approved security standards around the ferry terminal. I also liaise with our partner agencies and customers here at the Port, ensuring excellent levels of customer service are maintained. We are quite a large division within the Port of Milford Haven, with four in the Gate House team, four in the Search Team, and six in the Passenger Terminal Team.
Across the team we have responsibility for searching the freight vehicles entering the terminal. We also check documentation and book vehicles into the restricted area on behalf of Irish Ferries. The team is also responsible for the safe discharge of the ferry as well as embarkation. On the passenger side, vehicles and foot passengers are booked in and issued boarding cards once the various pre-sailing checks have been completed. The Search Team will make sure that vehicles and foot passengers using the service are not carrying anything harmful, that could endanger fellow passengers or the ferry itself. Alongside these core duties, all the team have a duty to be vigilant for unauthorised access to any parts of the restricted area.
I think that working outside in the summer months is good, as the weather can certainly be a changeable over the winter. We have a busy department, facilitating the twice daily ferry sailings from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare, so there is great collaboration within the team, and with our stakeholders to ensure that it is smooth sailing for passengers and our customer, Irish Ferries.
I was delighted to be on duty for the arrival of the Blue Star 1 ferry on its first crossing to Pembroke Dock in April this year. This replaced the Isle of Inishmore which had been sailing from Pembroke Dock to Rosslare since 2001.
I bought a piano keyboard when I retired from the Police, before I joined the Port of Milford Haven, so I’m hoping to take some lessons and learn how to play some basic tunes. I’m not sure how long this will take, I am happy to persevere though. Although now living and working in Pembrokeshire, I support Reading FC. I cannot see me getting to many home games now though.
