During a new edition of Terminal Excellence in Jeddah, Venturn brought its business simulation to life at the Red Sea Gateway Terminal (RSGT). Together with an international group of participants, they worked on gaining insight, collaboration, and developing leadership within terminal operations.
Venturn Young Professional Robert Roosen travelled to Saudi Arabia with colleagues Corina Hensen and Patrick van de Ven to facilitate the simulation. The result was a week full of valuable insights, cultural exchange, and inspiring encounters.
Preparing for a special week
On Sunday, 12 October, Robert boarded the intercity train to Schiphol Airport with his yellow trolley and burgundy backpack, packed with binders, flags, dice, and laptops. His final destination: Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The items he checked in, alongside shirts and clean underwear, were not just ordinary luggage. They formed the core of the mission: a successful edition of Terminal Excellence Jeddah 2025.
Together with his colleagues Corina and Patrick, he travelled to the Red Sea Gateway Terminal. They, too, carried folders, lighthouses, and game boards in their luggage. With that, the team was complete and ready for takeoff.
What is Terminal Excellence?
Terminal Excellence is a business simulation developed by Venturn. In this interactive game, participants are divided into four teams and face all aspects of managing a terminal. From investments, price negotiations, and customer relationships to external factors such as weather conditions, technical failures, and staff shortages.
The goal of the simulation is to experience how all these components are interconnected. How does an investment in cranes affect operational capacity? What is the impact of hiring extra staff on profitability? And what happens to planning when a shipping contract falls through? Terminal Excellence reveals how everything is connected.
For the maritime sector, this offers immense value. Many professionals, especially those from outside the industry, have little idea of what happens behind the scenes of a terminal. The simulation brings that world to life in a playful, intensive, and highly interactive way. It creates understanding between departments, breaks down barriers, and provides concrete insights that can be directly applied in practice.
Cultural context and collaboration
Although container terminals operate in much the same way all over the world, the cultural context makes each edition of Terminal Excellence unique, the program in Jeddah was no exception. The group of participants was diverse, consisting mainly of Saudi professionals alongside colleagues from South and Southeast Asia.
In his role as data analyst, Robert was responsible for recording all decisions and calculating the results. While this role did not require direct interaction with cultural differences, they were always present. Islam plays a central role in everyday life in Saudi Arabia. Where colleagues in the Netherlands might walk together to the coffee machine, in Jeddah they head together to the prayer room. And where an emergency stop on the highway in the Netherlands might lead to frustration, a driver in Jeddah calmly says, “Inshallah.”
Calmness, composure, and respect, those three words perfectly capture Robert’s impression of Saudi culture. At the start of the first training day, participants were still reserved. Everyone listened attentively and showed consideration for each other’s values. Once the game began, enthusiasm quickly took over. The competitive element brought out the best in the group and created great energy
Learning from international collaboration
Working with an international group proved deeply enriching for Robert. He realized how easily you carry your own habits with you, often without noticing. For instance, shaking hands feels natural to him, but in Saudi Arabia that is not the norm. It is even forbidden between men and women. The most important lesson he took home is to stay true to yourself, adapt to local norms and values, and always remain respectful.
A glimps into the heart of the terminal
Not only the culture, but also the Red Sea Gateway Terminal itself made a big impression. The scale of the terminal is immense, with 24 deep-sea cranes and three different terminals. What fascinated Robert most was the Control & Operations Center. In this brand-new building, every detail has been thought through, from the ergonomics of the workstations to the walking distances between departments and the sightlines of the screens.
The lines of Communication were literally reflected in the layout of the control room desks, where you could hear a pin drop amid the focus and professionalism in the room. The calmness and composure that characterized Saudi culture were also evident in the operational heart of the terminal.
The power of repetition and recognition
For his colleague Patrick, this was not his first visit to RSGT. In 2014, he also organised an edition of Terminal Excellence there. During the training, several former participants stopped by to take a look. They proudly shared that they had been promoted and were now part of the terminal’s senior management team.
“I remember I was in the blue team, I was a new hire back then. We won the game, I still have a picture somewhere around my desk.”
Comments like these demonstrate the lasting impact of the simulation. For Robert, it was special to be part of a team that brings such experiences back to life. The 2025 edition was also received with enthusiasm: participants rated the training with an average score of 9.5.
Development and progress
The trip to Jeddah left a strong impression on Robert. The high-tech control room, the cultural exchange, the beautiful old city, and the shared meals of spiced rice on a Persian carpet with his colleagues were all unique experiences that made the journey memorable.
What stood out most was the speed of Saudi Arabia’s development. Since 2019, the country has opened its borders to tourism and, with vision 2030, is committed to a more open and inclusive society. An important part of this vision is broadening career opportunities for women and promoting female independence.
For a country that only recently embarked on this progressive path, the progress is remarkable. Two of the five Uber drivers Robert met were women, and within the terminal, female crane operators were strongly represented. Some even said their productivity was unmatched.
An experience to remember
For Robert, the trip to Saudi Arabia was a truly special experience. It was not a country at the top of his travel list, but that made it more meaningful. Traveling across the country with colleagues, working in a professional setting, and contributing to the development of people from different parts of the world was something he never imagined at the start of his traineeship.
He looks back on the week with great pleasure. Robert thanks Patrick and Corina for their collaboration and good company, and Venturn for the opportunity to be part of this unique experience.
