Yard Planner

Yard Planner

• Job Type Full Time
• Qualification BA/BSc/HND
• Experience
• Location Rivers
• City Port Harcourt
• Job Field Logistics , Shipping and Maritime

As our Yard Planner, you will plan yard operations and support the preparation and communication of terminal berthing plans in close cooperation with vessel operators.

• You will balance vessel connections, operational deadlines, yard capacity and required productivity levels to support safe and efficient terminal operations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain yard plans for import, export, empty, reefer, hazardous, out-of-gauge and other special cargo in line with approved strategies.

• Allocate suitable yard locations for vessel discharge containers based on cargo type, service requirements, available capacity and operational priorities.

• Plan export-container positioning to support efficient vessel loading, quick retrieval and minimal rehandling.

• Monitor live vessel, yard and gate activities using Navis N4, XPS and other approved operational applications.

• Coordinate with Vessel Planning, Dispatch, Equipment Control, Gate Operations and frontline teams to align operational plans with execution.

• Identify, manage and escalate planning exceptions, congestion risks, invalid yard positions and special-cargo discrepancies.

• Maintain accurate planning information, contribute to shift handovers and support root-cause analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.

• What We Are Looking For

• Continuous improvement mindset: we are looking for someone who brings a thoughtful improvement mindset—curious about how work gets done and motivated to make meaningful, sustainable improvements over time.

• Hold a bachelor’s degree or Higher National Diploma in Logistics, Supply Chain Management, Maritime Studies, Transport Management, Engineering, Business Administration or a related discipline.

• Bring relevant experience in container-terminal operations, yard or vessel planning, dispatching, equipment control or a closely related operational function.

• Demonstrate sound knowledge of container-terminal vessel, yard, gate and equipment operations, including yard allocation, stacking principles and container flow management.

• Apply working knowledge of terminal operating systems, preferably Navis N4, XPS or equivalent applications, alongside Microsoft Excel, Outlook and Teams.

• Work effectively under pressure, respond constructively to changing priorities and remain available for rotational shifts, including nights, weekends and public holidays.

Other Requirements:

• You will also need strong analytical, planning, organizational, communication and problem-solving skills.

• A clear commitment to safety, teamwork and operational discipline is essential.

• You will be expected to ensure that hazardous and special cargo is segregated and positioned in accordance with IMDG requirements, terminal procedures and applicable HSSE standards.

• What We Can Offer

• At APM Terminals, we foster a dynamic learning and training culture that empowers our employees to excel.

• Our commitment to improvement is driven by Lean principles, ensuring that every team member has the opportunity to develop their skills and advance their careers.

• Experience a diverse, multinational workplace where your operational insights directly influence how we work.

• Gain in-depth exposure to the planning and execution of operations within a container terminal.

• Develop your operational planning, analytical and people-management capabilities.

• Work collaboratively with vessel planning, dispatch, equipment control, gate operations and frontline teams.

• Build experience that can support progression towards a Shift Planning Supervisor position.

• Check how your CV matches this job