High Maritime Visit to the Netherlands 

Secretary-General Arsenio Dominguez of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) visited Rotterdam, the largest port in Europe, this week at the invitation of the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management. The KVNR was involved as a co-organizer of the program for this high maritime visit. The key topics were making shipping more sustainable and investing in the skills of seafarers. 

The day began at great heights with a roundtable discussion at the Euromast with broad representation from the maritime sectors in the Netherlands. After an introduction by the ministry, the KVNR kicked off with contributions from Chairman Theo Klimp and Director Annet Koster on developments in Dutch shipping in terms of sustainability.  

During the conversation, they made it clear how important it is to focus on a global pricing mechanism for CO2 emissions rather than a regional initiative like the European emission trading system (EU-ETS).

They also highlighted where steps need to be taken at the IMO level to improve the Carbon Intensity Indicator (CII). This CII is comparable to an energy label of a house, but the calculations behind the CII are currently too error-prone. In the end, they focused on preparing seafarers for the shipping of the future: working with new types of technology requires new skills.  

From the to the CEO of the Port of Rotterdam and from the Association of Dutch Shipbuilders to maritime envoy Kees van der Staaij. Everyone was at the table to briefly outline the great developments in the Netherlands as a maritime nation, primarily the Maritime Master Plan for climate-neutral ships. This also touched on many other topics such as the welfare of seafarers and shipbuilding. 

After the extensive conversation, the delegation boarded the ship Nieuwe Maze of the Port of Rotterdam for a long cruise on the Nieuwe Maas. Onboard, the Secretary-General was welcomed by several representatives of leading companies that are actively innovating the maritime industry. Acta Marine, JR Shipping, and Van Oord from the KVNR members were present, focusing not only on sustainability but also on smart systems to better prevent container loss, for example.

The sunny boat trip ended in front of the large blue building of the Shipping and Transport College (STC). After a brief introduction and presentation at STC, the visit continued at the institute's simulator center, which visibly impressed the Secretary-General.