It’s not that we asked for it, because it adds considerable extra stress when the deadline for the November issue falls on the morning after the Maritime Awards Gala 2022. And celebrating is not very convenient when there is still a lot of work to be done to include all the news from the Gala in the magazine, on the website and in the extra edition of our newsletter within a very short time frame. But while autumn with its typically gloomy days has finally begun, with the outcomes of the Gala, this November issue of SWZ|Maritime, and the absence of Covid restrictions, there really is a lot to celebrate this year.
An important topic in this SWZ issue is the revival of the ship repair sector. The improved state of affairs in this sector is certainly not due to the rates, as they remain high in the Netherlands compared to the competition, but rather due to the working methods of the Dutch ship repairers and refitters. Their way of working is characterised by a high degree of flexibility and, above all, an inventive approach that leads to high quality work execution and, therefore, ultimately lower operating costs.
The improved market position of this sector in the Netherlands leads to new investments and new providers and, therefore, new jobs. And it even attracts foreign investment from companies that want to be right here, in this case Rotterdam, in order to be able to offer their services whether or not in cooperation with competing colleagues and a large range of independent specialists.
Also read: SWZ|Maritime’s October 2022 issue: Spread the word: Ships are important
Besides the big Damen shipyards in Schiedam and Verolme-Rozenburg, a real cluster of ship repair companies is starting to develop, especially around the old RDM site and the Waalhaven in Rotterdam, giving shipowners a wide choice for a range of necessary maintenance and refit work on their ships. Our contributor Hans Heijnen has compiled a small dossier on this.
An inventive approach is also at the heart of Dutch ship newbuilding. This year, the KNVTS Ship of the Year Award jury had a really hard time choosing between three fantastically beautiful, and above all, innovative ships. These included the world’s largest cutter suction dredger, perhaps the world’s most versatile icebreaking supply and research ship and a magnificent superyacht of which the superyacht building sector can be very proud. Actually, it no longer mattered which ship would win, but rightly so, this year’s choice was the superyacht Viva, after superyacht builders were nominated so many times before and just missed out on this top prize.
This is editor-in-chief Antoon Oosting’s editorial accompanying the November 2022 issue.
SWZ Archive
Our digital archive is once again available to subscribers and they can read the digitial version of our November issue there. Subscribers can register here to gain access. Not yet a subscriber? Visit our subscription page.
Also read: SWZ|Maritime’s September 2022 issue: Dutch yachting from leisure to industry
The articles in SWZ|Maritime’s November issue
In addition to the regular sections such as Dutch news, Markets, Maritime monthly, Global news, Book reviews, news from the KNVTS and Mars Report, the articles (some in Dutch) in the November issue are:
- Reparatiesector groeit en bloeit in Waalhaven
- Thales and Nevesbu update Indonesian frigate together
- Superjacht Viva gekozen tot KNVTS Schip van het Jaar 2022
- Sterk in conversies
- Why LNG is key to energy security
- The workings of an FSRU and its uses
- Maritieme professional doctorate bijna van start
- Hydrogen as backbone for shipping decarbonisation
Picture: Maassluis-based Shipyard De Haas opened a second repair and maintenance yard on the former RDM site in Rotterdam at the end of May. The yard has a Marine Travelift with a capacity of 820 tonnes. The yard floor has space for dozens of ships (photo Shipyard De Haas).
Also read: SWZ|Maritime’s July-August 2022 issue: SMM, sustainability and energy transition
