On behalf of Rijkswaterstaat (Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management) we co-created the kick off of the fleet renewal program of the Rijksrederij under the leadership of program director Christa Kempenaar. The program involves about 100 ships, which will be renewed in the coming decades with the first 4 projects already in the pipeline.
Future-proof fleet
The challenge here is a future-proof fleet, both in terms of changing circumstances affecting the ships’ tasks (including sea level rise, wind at sea, illegal fishing and increasing drug smuggling). As well as the requirements made from international (International Maritime Organization) and European climate objectives, to which the Netherlands has also committed itself with the GreenDeal. And with which the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management has expressed its desire to be a ‘launching customer’ for more sustainable shipping.
When you add to this the average age of the fleet, 20-25 years, the necessity and urgency of the fleet renewal program becomes clear. Plus the fact that this is a big task. Therefore, the program directorate has been appointed and additional resources and manpower have been released to get started on this.
How can we do it smarter, cleaner and faster!
The fleet renewal program is a comprehensive program that offers great opportunities for the Nederland. A lot of work, in which existing and new technologies can be applied. The program also contributes to putting the Netherlands on the map as an international leader. If government and market know how to make smart use of this opportunity. How can we do it smarter, cleaner and faster? We have had various discussions about this with both the government (internal organisation/departments of the Rijksrederij) and various market parties, including shipbuilders, ship owners and engineering companies.
Energetic kick-off
We brought them together at an energetic kick-off. On the ss Rotterdam, the market players and the Dutch government came together for a start with renewed energy. With important contributions from, among others Thecla Bodewes figurehead of the Top Sector Water & Maritime and CEO at Thecla Bodewes Shipyards, Dimitri van Rijn of the National Government Office for the Maritime Manufacturing Industry Sector Agenda, Astrid Kee of the Maritime Master Plan, Martin Wijnen Director-General of Rijkswaterstaat, Christa Kempenaar Program Director of Fleet Renewal of the Rijksrederij, Iris Reuselaars of Rijkswaterstaat, Sjaco Pas of the Netherlands’ Coast Guard, Bart Klijn-Oomen BBA of Customs Netherlands, Jan Rosch of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Nature, Eline Muller of Multraship Towage & Salvage, Luc Joos of Damen, Benjamin Grefkens of Neptune Marine, Stijn de Geest of RED-TO-GREEN and Jeroen de Graaf from NMT | Netherlands Maritime Technology & IRO – The Association of Dutch Suppliers in the Offshore Energy Industry.
In collaboration with Jessamijn Alberts the visual below was developed, summarizing the renewed start and approach.
