From the magazine – The merger between maritime industry associations NMT and IRO was officially completed on 1 January 2025. Staff are now working from the same office at Willemswerf in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, and their activities have been fully integrated. The merged organisation currently operates under the name NMT-IRO, but will adopt a new, more recognisable name this summer.
This article originally appeared in SWZ|Maritime’s June 2025 issue. It was written by Hans Heynen, freelance maritime journalist, hans.heynen@casema.nl.
SWZ|Maritime interviewed Jeroen de Graaf, director of NMT-IRO. He was appointed by both associations in June 2024 to oversee the merger and strengthen the organisation’s impact.
‘I actually started quite quietly in June last year,’ says De Graaf. ‘I first wanted to get to know the association and the organisation before working on the task I was given by the board. “Start internally to win externally” is my motto. The integration went smoothly, and we can now say the merger was a very good step. The maritime and offshore industries face many of the same challenges. We’re also seeing that maritime suppliers are increasingly working with both shipbuilding and offshore sectors.'”
NMT-IRO has over 820 members, divided across three equally represented associations: VNSI represents the shipyards, HME the suppliers, and IRO the offshore energy sector. On 1 January 2026, the association will also merge with Holland Home of Wind Energy (HHWE), which currently has 66 members. HHWE focuses primarily on promoting the Dutch offshore wind sector abroad (export) and will gradually integrate into NMT-IRO over the course of the year.
‘We aim to ensure that all target groups are represented as equally as possible within the organisation,’ says De Graaf.
Also read: Holland Home of Wind Energy to merge with NMT-IRO
‘We need to be at the table as an industry’
According to De Graaf, the merger of the maritime industry associations increases the maritime and offshore sector’s influence in lobbying. ‘In The Hague, the size of your constituency matters. If you are representative of the sector, you are more readily seen as a discussion partner. A fragmented sector simply has a weaker voice, so collaboration is key. The arrival of the Sector Agenda for the Maritime Manufacturing Industry is a great example of this. Generally speaking — but especially in The Hague and Brussels — the rule applies: “If you’re not at the table, you’re on the menu”.’
De Graaf speaks from experience. He spent years active in the political arena. While studying economics, he served on the Amsterdam city council for the CDA (Christian Democrats). Later, he worked for years at the heart of political power in The Hague. ‘I spent five years as political advisor — basically the right hand — to Aart Jan de Geus, who was then Minister of Social Affairs and Employment.’
‘I then moved to the Dutch Association of Insurers, but within a year was called by Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who asked if I would become his political advisor, succeeding Jack de Vries who had become State Secretary for Defence. Three years later, Mark Rutte succeeded Balkenende as Prime Minister. Rutte had previously been a State Secretary under Balkenende, so I knew him, and I was allowed to stay on and support him at the Ministry of General Affairs.’
However, De Graaf eventually felt he was no longer in the right place. ‘It felt like I constantly had to defend Balkenende’s past policies, so I was open to something new.’ At one point, SNS Reaal approached him about helping to resolve the problems they, like many other banks, were facing due to the credit crisis.
‘As group director, I learned a great deal there. At a certain point, SNS Reaal’s insurance branch (Reaal Verzekeringen and Zwitserleven) was sold to a Chinese company. Five years later, a US private equity firm took over Reaal and Zwitserleven. As HR director, my task was to downsize from 3800 to 840 full-time equivalents. Eventually, I had enough — it was all about dismantling. I completed the job and then resigned, because it just wasn’t a rewarding role. But I learned a lot from it.’
Building partnerships
De Graaf then chose to take a year off and travel, before looking for a new challenge. He was keen to find a role that would allow him to help public and private parties build partnerships.
‘At one point, someone called and asked if I knew NMT and IRO,’ De Graaf recalls. ‘”Never heard of them”, I answered honestly. But I started reading up, spoke to people in the sector, and saw the Sector Agenda. It struck me as a fantastic industry. Everything came together. It was a tough application process, but now I think: “I should have done this years ago”. It’s a sector full of innovation and entrepreneurial spirit. The maritime sector operates globally and earns sixty per cent of its revenue abroad. NMT-IRO shares insights with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and works closely with embassies and consulates. Its export department organises trade fairs and missions around the world.’
Also read: SWZ|Maritime’s June 2025 issue: Annual figures and Frisian-Groningen shipbuilding
Tendering must change
Of course, there are also challenges. In recent months, several tenders for the construction of offshore wind farms in the North Sea have stalled, which could cause parts of the sector to come to a standstill in both the Netherlands and Europe. ‘The cost of building a wind farm has risen by forty to sixty per cent in recent years,’ says De Graaf. ‘That’s mainly due to rising material costs and higher wages, driven in part by geopolitical tensions. The type of tender developers (such as energy companies) are required to bid on also plays a role. There are too many uncertainties, which makes them hesitant to invest. Energy prices fluctuate heavily, and the electricity grid is not stable enough — it can no longer handle everything. Altogether, it becomes too risky to recover the investment. In Denmark, some tenders received zero bids.’
De Graaf advocates for a different tendering system to get wind farm construction back on track. ‘Some countries use the “Contract for Difference” principle — a system where the government steps in when losses exceed an agreed threshold, but also skims off excess profits above a certain level. In this way, you climb and descend the ladder together, with a floor and a ceiling. This creates a shared interest and makes tendering viable again by fostering true partnership.’
NMT-IRO is already lobbying for this system with a group of members and energy companies. ‘We’ll be raising broader awareness of this soon,’ says De Graaf. That’s important, as the Netherlands is home to many key companies active in the offshore wind sector. One of these, SIF, opened a large new factory for manufacturing wind turbine foundations on the Tweede Maasvlakte on 14 May.
‘During the opening, Minister Hermans, responsible for Climate and Green Growth, expressed interest in this new tendering system,’ says De Graaf. ‘The expectation and hope is that changes will be announced this summer, with clear agreements on the maximum risk and maximum return. That way, over the twenty- to thirty-year lifespan of a wind farm, investors can better assess whether to proceed or not. Our members see this as a promising solution to keep tendering activity on track. I’m optimistic that the Netherlands will adopt such a system.’
No time to waste
According to De Graaf, there is no time to waste. ‘Otherwise, we won’t meet the target of having 21 GW of offshore wind capacity in the North Sea by 2032. In 2024, there was just 5 GW — we need to quadruple that in seven years. The pressure is on.’
A swift solution is also vital to keep installation vessels operating in the Netherlands. ‘Otherwise, they’ll move to regions where offshore wind development is moving full steam ahead,’ De Graaf warns. ‘They’ll sail to Asia or America. And we shouldn’t underestimate our role in this sector — Dutch companies are involved in every offshore wind project around the world.’
Also read: IRO and NMT to merge from January
Rising costs
The increasing costs of wind turbine construction, along with the energy taxes needed to finance the expansion of the electricity grid, are expected to prevent energy prices in the Netherlands from falling any time soon. According to De Graaf, the development of ever-larger wind turbines won’t change that either.
‘In Europe, we’re now looking at turbines of 15 MW. Just a few years ago, that was 7 to 8 MW. The latest Chinese turbines deliver 20 MW, and some are already reaching 30 MW. The work vessels required to install wind farms must constantly be upgraded or even replaced to handle larger turbines. That’s expensive. If an installation vessel lasts less than ten years, operators are forced to charge higher rates for installing turbines. In Europe, there are now about 45 vessels capable of installing turbines up to 15 MW. Only ten can handle turbines up to 20 MW. Companies like Van Oord, Boskalis and Allseas can’t build a new ship every few years just because the turbines are getting bigger again. There’s a real need for standardisation in turbine sizes and their foundation structures.’
Shipbuilding lobby
On the global stage, the shipbuilding sector has long struggled with an uneven playing field between Europe and Asia. ‘Europe simply can’t compete with the conditions under which ships are built in Asia,’ says De Graaf. ‘This means Europe can forget about building deep-sea vessels.’
Europe is still able to build specialised work vessels, cruise ships, luxury yachts, naval ships, inland vessels and short-sea vessels. ‘Herman Bodewes even manages to sell short-sea vessels to Asia,’ De Graaf notes. ‘And Thecla Bodewes has also found her place on the global stage. Strategically, building short-sea vessels is much more interesting for Europe.’
De Graaf adds: ‘One problem for European shipbuilders, however, is that many shipowners still think in short-term cycles. Yet, if you look at the total lifespan of a ship, you’ll see that second-hand vessels from the Netherlands and Western Europe often retain a much higher resale value than their Asian counterparts. Dutch-built ships are far more reliable and require less maintenance. Fortunately, more and more shipowners are beginning to consider lifecycle costs. This is where the importance of the Sector Agenda comes into play again. With the flagship project “Shipyard of the Future”, we’re exploring how more efficient construction can help achieve cost reductions of ten to fifteen per cent.’
NMT-IRO has been commissioned by the national government’s coordination bureau to carry out an exploratory study. ‘We received hundreds of responses to the survey we circulated in the sector, and we’ll soon be starting additional interviews with shipyards, suppliers and other stakeholders,’ says De Graaf.
Also read: NMT: Dutch companies should build new Rijksrederij fleet
Long-term strategy
The EU is currently working on a long-term strategy for the European maritime manufacturing industry, aimed at creating a level playing field from a European perspective. ‘Such a strategy could protect and strengthen our maritime industry,’ says De Graaf. ‘Last year, Mario Draghi published a report on Europe’s earning capacity and the strategic importance of its manufacturing sector. The Dutch Sector Agenda for the Maritime Manufacturing Industry is quoted extensively in that report. As a result, President Ursula von der Leyen tasked Apostolos Tzitzikostas, the European Commissioner for Transport and Tourism, with developing a strategy for the maritime manufacturing industry. His plans are expected to be presented this autumn.’
On 15 May 2025, twenty member states signed the Szczecin Declaration (Poland), calling for an ambitious, comprehensive, and immediate European Maritime Strategy. With this, the member states sent a clear signal to the European Commissioner urging the swift presentation of these plans. Taking inspiration from the Dutch Sector Agenda, the Szczecin Declaration affirms the crucial role of shipbuilding and the maritime industry in securing Europe’s strategic autonomy, safety, and defence.
‘The maritime sector is essential to Europe — ninety per cent of goods are transported by ship,’ states De Graaf. ‘Much of the continent depends on our dredging vessels to stay above water, and European navies protect the infrastructure on the seabed.’
Now that defence budgets are rising, several NMT-IRO members are being approached to act as suppliers for defence-related contracts. ‘It’s taking some getting used to for many to once again be involved in defence construction, and our members want to understand what to expect when taking on defence assignments. That said, these orders still need to be released, and the matter of (pre-)financing needs to be addressed. In our view, the pace of that process could definitely pick up,’ De Graaf concludes.
Picture (top): Inland navigation vessel of the Sunrise class under construction at the GS yard Waterhuizen, the Netherlands (photo by Hans Heynen).
