Everyone calls him Master – a nickname he’s earned thanks to his work ethic. Henri Lamplatre discovered the Freeport in 2007 as a young stevedore. At 22, he quickly learned how to navigate the demanding, all-male environment and put aside his early ambition of joining the police force.

The port became his place. Today, at 40, he wears the white uniform of a foreman and leads a team of about thirty people across quays 1 to 7. His day starts at 6.30AM with a cup of tea in the mess before heading out at 7am. Around him, forklifts move in tight patterns, crates fill with frozen tuna, and conversations in several languages set the pace of the docks. No two days are ever quite the same. Henri leads with clarity, discipline and trust.

His team respects him, and captains recognise him when they return to the port. He passes on the basics to the younger ones – autonomy, rigour and the value of working together. When the day wraps up around 4PM and the schedule is delivered, he heads home to his family or fits in a short run before the evening.