Innovation front and centre at the Dutch Maritime Awards
The Dutch Maritime Awards always form an important industry bellwether at the biannual Europort event in Rotterdam.
This year, innovative ships, techniques and practices set the tone, with Dutch shipbuilders, suppliers and researchers developing a large number of practical and commercially viable products and methods.
Each of the 15 nominated products and R&D projects demonstrated the power of cooperation, R&D and high-quality production. From components for submarines and modular design methods to vaccination programmes and complete electric and autonomous vessels, two themes clearly stand out: innovation and sustainability.
Five companies, researchers and designers were awarded prizes for special, practical innovations. In brief:
Maritime Innovation Award 2021: Demcon Unmanned Systems. For: new type of electric autonomous unmanned vessels
Maritime Designer Award 2021: Dr. Lex Keuning. For: additional cargo vessel propulsion using wind energy (by improving the Magnus Rotor system), delivering significant fuel savings
KVNR Award 2021: RIVM (Nils van der Kolk, project leader for hard-to-reach target groups). For: COVID-19 Vaccination and certification programme for seafarers (first in the world)
RNLN Van Hengel-Spengler Award 2021: Lieutenant-at-Sea 3rd Class Noah Stam. For: research into options for ballistic missile interception and development of 3D simulation models
KNVTS Ship of the Year Award 2021: Damen Shipyards Group. For: electric ferry Bryggen for Arriva, Copenhagen
