Virtual port tour breaks attendance records for Young Forwarder Network

The latest event to be held since the British International Freight Association (BIFA) relaunched its Young Forwarder Network attracted a record attendance for any event, real or virtual, since the YFN was originally launched in March 2019.

Lexi Laybourn (pictured), YFN committee member and customer services operator at DP World London Gateway attracted 71 virtual attendees to her tour of the DP World London Gateway port conducted online via Zoom.

The behind-the-scenes tour was the second of many upcoming online events for the YFN and delivered some fascinating insight into the day-to-day activities at one of the UK’s most advanced port and integrated logistics hubs. 

'Attendees' witnessed over the internet how London Gateway’s highly productive deep water berths are built to handle the world’s largest vessels and its state-of-the-art technology means that it can do this in a safe, reliable and efficient manner. 

The tour incorporated all aspects of landside and shipside activity, an outside terminal port tour to see container ships, trucks and rail freight in operation and there were plenty of opportunities for participants to interact. 

Ms Laybourn said: “DP World London Gateway is a global trade enabler. In spite of the necessary restrictions in place due to Covid-19, trade at the gateway continues! Given that we are unable to welcome large groups of visitors to the port at the present time, I thought let’s take the port to the members of the YFN through a virtual port tour.

“It was fantastic to see such an interest in the event and so encouraging that young industry professionals want to stay in contact, remotely, through the BIFA Young Forwarder Network.”

Carl Hobbis, BIFA’s training development manager added: “The development of BIFA’s YFN continues to be of great importance. The virtual port tour, which followed a virtual bake off last week, are just the start of a series of web-based quizzes, guest interviews, training masterclasses, Q&A sessions and other things that are being planned, whilst social gatherings are not allowed.”