Cooperation is Key for the Dutch Maritime Industry

The Dutch Maritime Network has shaped its new course. Last January, Arie Kraaijeveld succeeded Niko Wijnolst as chairman of the foundation and later that month, the new strategy was defined. Kraaijeveld has a mission: “The Netherlands belongs to the maritime top worldwide and the network has to show this in all its communications.”

Together with interim director Martin Bloem, CEO of Bloem Doze Nienhuis Maritime Consultants and former director of Holland Shipbuilding Association, Kraaijeveld has already set up a governance change and during the first meeting with the board it was decided to form a general management of 25, consisting of delegates from trade organisations and companies throughout the maritime cluster. The daily management is made up of chairman Kraaijeveld, vice-chairman Tineke Netelenbos (chairman at the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners), treasurer Thessa Menssen (COO at Port of Rotterdam), Goof Hamers (president at IHC Merwede) and Bas Buchner (president at MARIN). Kraaijeveld: “The Dutch maritime cluster consists of twelve industries and each has its own interests. However, each industry also shares interests and by building an umbrella organisation, you get them all together and can stand strong when pleading for these interests. Our concept is to get the trade organisations as well as the companies involved and therefore we decided to have such a large general management. This way, each industry is firmly rooted in the system.”

Challenge

Kraaijeveld sees himself as an assisting foreman and is planning to stay on for a couple of years. “I am now 69 years of age and I was actually phasing out. However, I still decided to take the job, as the maritime industry goes to my heart. I worked at FME (the largest organisation in the Netherlands representing employers and businesses in the technological industry, ed.) for 25 years and had a lot of contact with the shipbuilding and shipping industry. I still have friends in those industries and some issues get to me. I see it as a challenge to make a success of something that is in danger of falling apart. The network needs a small machine to keep everyone together, as daily affairs take up a lot of time, and I together with our small bureau, consisting of 1.5 FTE and a director, want to achieve this. Up until now the network was mainly financed by the Dutch government, but I want us to be independent from that, as the funding will end next year. Therefore, we will transform from a mainly government-funded organisation to an industry-financed organisation. All participating trade organisations will pay a € 20,000 contribution in 2012 and € 30,000 in 2013. Participating companies in the industry are asked for the same commitment. For our projects, we will look for sponsors and ask the government to double the amount we received from the sponsors.”

Policy themes

By redefining the Dutch Maritime Network, four policy themes were established: public relations, innovation, human capital and trade. “Public relations will concentrate on the image and reputation of the maritime industry by means of publicity campaigns and the organisation of big events, like a national maritime conference, the Maritime Awards Gala and the Maritime Week”, Kraaijeveld explains. “Another objective for example is to exchange views with the government. The innovation council will take care of the bundling and execution of cluster activities regarding knowledge and innovation. One of the main pillars will be the maritime innovation contract that was presented in 2010. The council awaits the consideration of this contract by the government and I must say, we are slightly concerned about the outcome because of the government cuts. Also, the council will keep an eye on the progress of the innovation themes ‘Smart Ships’, ‘Extracting from the Sea’, ‘Clean Ships’ and ‘Smart Ports’. The task of the human capital council will be to coordinate the activities in regard to maritime- technical and nautical education as well as initiating projects regarding the labour market. Last but not least the goal of the trade council is to promote equal competition conditions for the maritime industry, to get in contact with other markets regarding export activities and to stimulate maritime branding.”

Thinking and doing

It is important to Kraaijeveld that the Dutch Maritime Network is an organisation where action speaks louder than words: “It is a combination of thinking and doing. I have a background in chemistry and with that in mind, I think you can only create things when you are experimenting, not when you are only talking about it. In a very short time, we reorganised the network and defined a plan of action for 2012 up to 2014. Within three to five months, the whole organisation structure should be completely up and running and from 1 May on, Arjen Uytendaal will be appointed as the network’s new director. I very much enjoy the work I am doing and everyone is very cooperative. In the beginning of this year, we moved to our new office at the Willemswerf in Rotterdam, together with the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners and Holland Shipbuilding Association. Other maritime organisations are invited to join us, so we can create a true ‘Maritime House’ as a beacon of Dutch maritime success. We want to show that we are a sustainable industry with a bright future ahead of us.”

Gail van den Hanenberg