CM Labs Brings Together Port Training Professionals from 17 Countries in Montreal to Advance Simulation-based Operator Training

• CM Labs Simulations hosted an international Ports User Conference in Montreal with 51 training experts from 17 countries focused on simulation-based operator training.

• The conference addressed workforce challenges including skilled labor shortages, adapting to new technologies, and preserving operational knowledge from retiring operators.

• Participants visited the Port of Montreal and the Maritime Employers Association to see real-world applications of simulation training supporting workforce development.

• The event emphasized sharing experiences and mentoring to ensure consistent, effective training for safe and productive port operations worldwide.

International gathering explores how using innovative technology can strengthen port workforce development and support the global supply chain.

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Preparing port equipment operators for increasingly complex working environments was the focus of CM Labs Simulations’ Ports User Conference, which concluded today in Montreal. Held Oct. 5-8, the conference drew 51 industry training experts from 17 countries to share training experiences, discuss common challenges and explore how simulation-based training can support safe, productive port operations.

Attendees discussed their role in the global supply chain, where safe, efficient port operations help keep goods moving across international markets. Preparing the next generation of operators, preserving experienced personnel’s knowledge and adapting to new technologies are workforce priorities with implications beyond individual terminals. Other issues include developing solutions to the skilled labor shortage, and dealing with port expansion projects on a global basis.

“Ports operate in different environments, but the need to prepare capable, confident operators crosses every border,” said Lisa Barbieri, VP of Marketing and Strategic Relationships at CM Labs. “Bringing these professionals together creates an opportunity to learn from one another’s experience. For CM Labs, it is also an opportunity to listen and use those insights to guide how we support their training teams.”

Attendees also visited the Port of Montreal and the Maritime Employers Association (MEA), a local organization successfully using CM Labs simulators to support workforce training. The MEA recruits, trains and dispatches port workers across six Canadian ports, including Montreal. The visit connected the conference’s discussions about workforce preparation with a practical example of simulation-based training in use.

The Port of Montreal, Eastern Canada’s largest container port, connects trade with more than 140 countries. In 2025, it handled 34.3 million metric tons of cargo and 1.52 million twenty-foot equivalent units of container traffic, illustrating the scale of operations supported by skilled port workforces.

A recurring theme during the event was preserving operational knowledge as experienced operators retire. Participants identified mentoring and simulation scenarios informed by experienced operators’ expertise as ways to transfer established practices to the next generation. Capturing that knowledge in repeatable training exercises can help organizations retain expertise and support consistent instruction.