AFTER each working more than a quarter of a century on the North Queensland waterfront, Norm Morley and Terence Sadd are looking forward to putting up their feet, perhaps fishing or hitching up the caravan.
The retirement of Norm and Terence, who worked on the waterfront for 28 and 27 years respectively, was announced in the same week that their employer NSS officially opened a new Port of Townsville logistics facility.
Norm Morley started with NSS as a casual in August 1998 before gaining permanency on 12 June 2006.
According to NSS, he is a highly capable and respected gantry crane and ships gear operator who has supported safe efficient cargo handling operations while maintaining a keen eye for continuous improvements.
Asked about changes over the years, Norm spoke of advances in both ships and more modern, efficient modern machinery.
“The variety of work, mateship, the people, the work, meeting people with different cultures on the shifts,” Norm said, when asked by DCN what made the job special.
"I’ll miss being around people who I’ve had contact with every day and the mateship.
"But I’ll enjoy the freedom to do whatever I like, use my caravan for short trips and fishing.”
NSS general manager, Mark George, said "Norm’s willingness to share what he knows has strengthened our crews and lifted performance across our operations”.
"He takes genuine pride in supporting the team and his reliability has been a constant in often challenging operational conditions,” Mr George said.
"His legacy lives on in the safe habits and high standards he has helped embed across our sites."
Terence Sadd joined NSS as a casual in August 1999, becoming permanent on 21 August 2006.
A shipwright by trade, Terence spent many years honing his skills and securing vessels’ cargo on the waterfront before transitioning into stevedoring.
His experience versatility and commitment to the job have seen him become what the company said was "a highly capable ships crane and PC operator respected for his hard work and practical knowledge".
Mr Sadd said the biggest changes in his time had been the number of containers and mobile harbour cranes to speed up loading and cargo handling.
While he will miss the camaraderie of his fellow workmates, he is looking forward to “not having to get up at midnight to go to work” and having the time to hit the road in his caravan.
He also encourages others to consider a waterfront career, noting “there are a lot of skills to be learnt for young fellas”.
Mark George said Terence had grown alongside the business adapting as NSS expanded its integrated terminal services, warehousing and supply chain support.
“His ability to adapt to new equipment procedures and technologies has been instrumental in maintaining safe efficient operations,” he said.
Mr George said Norm and Terence embodied the best of NSS through their hard work and unwavering commitment to safety.
“They are good blokes who have really made their mark on the teams they have worked with over the years,” he said.
“Their contribution over more than two decades has shaped how we operate and how we support our customers across Northern Australia.
"We are immensely grateful for the knowledge they have passed on to colleagues and the example they have set to the next generation."