Safety leadership for Impala Terminals Colombia river operations

We support the business in assessing its cultural maturity in health, safety and security and to implement behavioural improvements. We empower our people through tools and training to recognise and reinforce positive behaviours and outcomes. Leaders and supervisors at all levels of the business have an important role in driving positive change. Fostering a culture of engagement is central to our approach, as it promotes greater alignment between our managers and workers. 

Through engagement programmes and operational learning initiatives, we seek to empower our workforce to collaborate with us in continuously improving health, safety and security standards.  

For example, we seek to increase navigational skills to improve safety procedures and reduce river collisions in the Magdalena River. In FY2024, the Impala Colombia river operations leadership team set out to reduce the frequency of bridge collisions involving pushers – the vessels that push or tug barges and platforms. The team developed a refreshed strategy which enhances crew navigational proficiency and leverages technological tools more effectively. 

This strategy involved an in-depth analysis of over 30 manoeuvring scenarios that pusher crews commonly encounter. To identify root causes and preventative measures, the team also reviewed incident data and insights. Captains, pilots and officers took part in exercises that simulated enabling them to practice transiting under bridges and to navigate the sharp bends of busy waterways. By designing and implementing this approach, the river operations team at Impala Terminals in Colombia strengthened navigational competencies, while promoting an organisational culture focused on risk mitigation and incident prevention.