Paul Jacklin is the ultimate clock watcher, but when you are dealing with boats the size of several small houses, precise timekeeping becomes a professional requirement of the job!
That’s because HBPW’s ‘inspections’ guru has to take to the water at least twice a year, when he is called on by Associated British Ports to inspect two of their key terminals.
But the work can only be carried out when huge passenger ferries or commercial transporter vessels are not being loaded or unloaded, be it cars, people or cargo!
“These days my work is confined to the Rotterdam-bound terminal at Hull, and the car river terminal at Grimsby, the place where many of the world’s key vehicle exporters land their cars for distribution into the UK market.
“It is essentially a visual inspection which may seem straightforward only it isn’t! In each case there is a ramp which links the land with the visiting boat to form something resembling a ‘link bridge’
“As part of the assignment I am required to inspect these ramps which involves having to hire a boat to take me underneath them, so that I have full access to the structures including ‘out-of-sight’ elements.”
However, with boats unloading early morning and re-loading early afternoon, it means Paul invariably has a three-hour window in which to complete his work.
“It might seem like a long time but, believe me, the time passes quickly, especially when you have to board a boat to complete the work. Clock watching is something that I have become very adept at, especially when it comes to working for Associated British Ports!”