Interviews

While modern technology can help you make some “very clever decisions”, said Dutch Work Boats MD and founder Rob Voskuil, it is definitely a mixed blessing.

Damen Shipyards Group opened its doors recently welcoming a cross-section of customers and industry partners to a one-day event showcasing a selection of vessels from its varied workboat catalogue.

While Jeffrey, Lord Mountevans, described the initial City of London reaction to Brexit as “shock”, as Lord Mayor he was on the spot to evaluate the fallout.

“In 13 years at Baltic Workboats, I’ve performed just about every role in the company” says the 42-year-old in the airy boardroom of the Saaremaa, Estonia-based manufacturer.

Life as a workboat captain “can be really varied” Ian Greenwood told MJ. However, this turns out to be something of an understatement.

It was, said Bart van der Helst of Belgian marine transmission specialist Esco Power “an easy transition” from aircraft to the marine industry, “the main difference being that I am usually in…

Really innovative projects still give Naval Architect Ed Dudson of BMT Nigel Gee “one or two moments” of apprehension: “At launch you wonder if the yard has built the vessel to sit…

It’s been said that the Skaala family “drank lifeboat production along with their milk”; the father starting the original Harding factory in Norway with the oldest son Geir driving Norsafe to multinational…

Chris Livett, of Thames vessel operators Livetts, puts his business and financial survival down to being “part marine entrepreneur, part Thames chameleon”, but there’s also a good streak of humanitarian in there…

“You can’t stay still in this kind of market,” said Ewoud Visser of DUC Marine, the Netherlands-headquartered offshore services group. “You have to make a decision about whether to scale up and…