Background

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

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

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. 

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.