Dutch maritime innovations honoured

On 8 November, the maritime industry gathered in the Cruise Terminal Rotterdam to honour the innovative character of the Dutch maritime cluster during the seventh edition of the annual Maritime Awards Gala. A record-breaking 820 maritime professionals witnessed the awarding of four prestigious prizes, the VNSI Wim Timmers Award, the HME Maritime Innovation Award, the KVNR Shipping Award and the KNVTS Ship of the Year Award.

The evening was opened by the acting chairman of the Foundation Maritime Awards, Pim van Gulpen. At the same time the opening marked the kick-off of the second edition of the Maritime Week. Dutch TV personality Anita Witzier hosted the evening and handed out the awards to the winners. Bas Goris, founder and managing director of O-foil, received the VNSI Wim Timmers Award for his propulsion concept for inland vessels that uses a large, horizontal wing moving up and down. This patented technology is based on the natural swimming motion of dolphins. Advantages of this new way of propulsion are a fuel cost reduction up to 50% and a corresponding reduction of CO2 emissions. Next to that, the concept helps improve the comfort on board of inland vessels. The first ship with this design is currently under construction and will be operational late 2012. Chairman of the prize, Hans Hopman, mentioned that the choice was difficult, as the quality of both entries was very high and the candidates were a match for each other. Goris commented: “This award is a real recognition for me, my team and our innovative wing propulsion with integral design. I hoped to win the award, but I had an excellent competitor to beat.”

Showing guts

“Entries are tied to the economic climate”, said Pim van Gulpen, chairman of the HME Maritime Innovation Award. “If the climate is good, production is the most important thing, but if the climate is less good, there is more time for innovations.” The winner, he said, was very clear: Huisman Equipment for the Dual Multi-Purpose Tower (DMPT). “The innovation shows a lot of entrepreneurship as a lot of money was invested in something new, that shows guts.”

He compared Huisman to Apple: inventing something the market did not ask for, but of which the company thinks that the market needs it. The DMPT is a drill tower without the limitations of a traditional drilling tower when handling drilling equipment. This results in a more efficient, safer and logistically easier drilling process. The concept has already been installed on several vessels. Dieter Wijning, product manager drilling at Huisman, commented: “Innovation is more than just a good idea. It is much more difficult to get the idea accepted in the industry. We are very honoured with the award. It is an appraisal for an effort of many years.”

Environmental efforts

Stena Line was awarded the KVNR Shipping Award for initiating a shore-based power connection for their ferries in the port of Hoek van Holland. With this connection, the first one for sea-going vessels in Rotterdam, the ferries obtain their electricity from the mainland and no longer have to run their engines to generate power. This resulted in a reduction of CO2 (7,500 tons), NOx (120 tons) and PM10 (four tons) emissions, but also a noise reduction from the port and an improvement of the air quality in the immediate vicinity of the port.

The installation of the shore-based power was supported by the Port of Rotterdam Authority, the municipality of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Environment. The jury chairwoman Tineke Netelenbos explained that the jury was impressed by Stena Line’s efforts in environmental innovations: “An example is set for many ports. Many ports have been talking about something like this, Stena Line just realised it. I am sure the community of Hoek van Holland is pleased with the noise reduction.” Pim de Lange, managing director of Stena Line, was very content with the award: “It is great to get this recognition for our efforts, as our company has been concerned with the environment for a long time.”

Unique cooperation

HMS Holland, built by Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding (DSNS), won the KNVTS Ship of the Year Award. HMS Holland is the first of a new class of Royal Netherlands Navy patrol vessels. The vessel is the result of a unique cooperation between the government, industry, suppliers and knowledge institutions within the Netherlands Maritime Cluster. Chairman of the jury, Willem de Jong, said that the received entries were mainly vessels for niche markets: “That is obviously our strength.

To determine a winner, we made our decision based on points. This vessel was created out of nothing and is able to perform several specific tasks. Next to that, it is efficient, sustainable and the new concept makes it possible to operate the vessel with a crew of only 50.” By coincidence, HMS Holland was in Rotterdam because of the Maritime Week and the commandant was persuaded to stay for the award ceremony. “That really was a lucky coincidence”, DSNS project manager Jeroen Waalewijn stressed. “We hoped that we would win, but we weren’t sure how our competitors would score. I think the vessel is unique, because she was created out of a very special and intense cooperation between our yard, the Dutch Navy and Defence Materiel Organisation. The latter has a very strong maritime engineering department and this ship incorporates an interesting vision. Up until this vessel, military ships were based on the cold war, but for this series of vessels, they realised that the world is changing and the ship should be adapted to that. She can be used for several tasks, for example for fighting drugs trafficking and piracy, but also for search and rescue operations or humanitarian relief. I am proud of our cooperation.”

Gail van den Hanenberg