Unlike in other sectors of activity, in the port sector, the quality of a service does not depend on a single operator; rather it is the result of the activity carried out by a large number of private companies and public bodies involved in the logistics chain. These agents typically act autonomously and without necessarily coordinating with each other, even when there are multiple interdependence relationships between them. An additional challenge that ports are facing is the increasing competition between them.
In this context, a key strategy is to improve the quality of port service provision. The Port of Valencia is a pioneer and point of reference in the implementation of an integrated quality system that offers the opportunity to coordinate and jointly manage all of the services provided by agents (private and public) in the port community.
The proven success of the Quality Mark of the Port of Valencia, in operation since 1998, prompted the Altamira API to request technical assistance from Fundación Valenciaport in order to design and implement a similar system in the port it manages.
The work programme was structured in two stages:
Stage 1: diagnostic phase and development of the institutional structure. (November 2017 – October 2008)
- Diagnostic analysis of the current situation of the Port of Altamira
- Establish quality system management bodies:
- Quality Board
- Work groups
- Define the model of the legal entity managing the Quality Mark in the Port of Altamira
Stage 2: Phase involving the reengineering of processes, the development of procedures and the establishment of guarantees (February 2009 – September 2009)
- Define the procedure for the flow of import containers and ship berthing.
- Set service quality guarantees for established procedures
- Train the future manager of the Quality Mark system in the Port of Altamira
