(With extra pictures and videos) In December, Erik de Neef, President of the Royal Boatmen’s Association "Eendracht" (KRVE), was elected as Port Personality of the Year (Havenman van het Jaar) 2016. On 9 January, the celebratory ceremony took place.
As always, the title is handed over on the second Monday in January during a festive get-together on board the Smaragd 2, which takes the guests on a cruise through the Port of Rotterdam. The Port Personality of the Year is chosen by four members (independent journalists) of the former Port Press Club Kyoto, the three former Port Personalities of the Year, the recently elected Young Port Talent (of the port of Rotterdam) and sponsors of the Foundation Port Personality of the Year.
De Neef as Port Personality
The 300 boatmen of the KRVE are available 24/7 in all types of weather. De Neef was chosen as Port Personality of the Year because he transformed the KRVE from a traditional association into an innovative company. One of its innovations is ShoreTension, a hydraulic system that allows for the safe mooring of ships in extreme weather conditions. Last year, the KRVE sold the 100th ShoreTension system, which is designed and built in-house.
De Neef is the 36th Port Personality of the Year. He started his career as a boatman when he was sixteen, he was the organisation's treasurer for ten years and since 1 January 2015 he has been the KRVE's president. In addition to being an advocate of technical innovation, he was also focused on social innovation. He convinced the members of the KRVE to invest in the organisation's future.
Picture (top): Erik de Neef (left) receives the honorary title from Frank de Kruif, president of the Port Personality of the Year Foundation (picture KNVTS/G.J. de Boer).
Below some pictures taken on board the Smaragd 2 during the award ceremony (by the KNVTS/G.J. de Boer, please click the pop-out link to view them in their proper dimensions). In addition, two videos provided by the KRVE introducing the organisation and what its boatmen do and a second video on the process of mooring that includes some footage of the KRVE's mooring system ShoreTension.
