Let me introduce myself, my name is Rens Gerritsen.
Shipping enthausiast and ship repairer by heart!

I was born in 1992 on board Dutch inland freighter ‘Voorwaarts’.

When I was two years old my father bought an old tugboat, the ‘Rosa’.
Not necessarily because it was such a nice tugboat, but because is housed a 240 Hp ‘de Industrie’ diesel engine built
in 1953! (find her on our Vessels page)

Probably that is when the virus hit me, since then I have been in love with Ships and Diesel engines.

This passion for ships resulted in the purchase of my own tug, the ‘Roma’, at the age of 14

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Roma

The Roma

The Roma was bought from its previous owner in 2007, just before I turned 15.
 

As she was bought as bare casco, an engine was acquired, a used gearbox was purchased and the plan was developed to install these in the engineroom. You might be able to guess the make of engine.

Indeed, a ‘de Industrie’, type 6D6O from 1964 producing 330 Hp at 500 rpm.
 
Due to this project I have learned most fundamental Marine Engineering skills, even before I started my study Maritime Technology in Delft.
 

Click here for more photos of the Roma

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Delft

In 2010 I started my education at Delft University of Technology, in the field of Maritime Technology.

Over the course of six years I studied the fundamentals of Ship Building, Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering.

Besides the theory, Delft brought me great experiences, such as studying in Trondheim Norway for half a year and traveling to the other side of the world to visit the mega shipyards in Korea.

I concluded my education by graduating for my Masters degree in 2016 at the Dutch dredging company Van Oord. The topic of my thesis was the development of a hybrid power plant for Van Oord’s large cutter suction dredgers.

Click here for my thesis. 

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Becoming a Vessel Manager

After my graduation I did not see myself becoming an office based engineer/designer. I was looking for a function where I could combine my theoretical knowledge with my passion for the work in the field.
 
It seemed that becoming a Technical Superintendent was the best option to achieve this combination.
 
Beginning 2017 I started at the company ALP Maritime Services as a Junior Technical Superintendent and worked my way up to Vessel Manager in the first eight months. During my time with ALP I have had the privilege to manage world’s largest tugboats.
 
In 2019 I have been approached by Anthony Veder to become a Vessel Manager for their Gas Tankers. We kicked of our cooperation by docking the Coral Millepora.
 
Click here for my curriculum vitae.