Celebrating Van Oord’s 150th Anniversary

Van Oord is marking its 150th anniversary today during an international symposium featuring top diplomat Christiana Figueres as guest speaker.

In addition to climate change, the energy transition and other themes, the symposium will celebrate the history of Dutch marine engineering with the presentation of the book Breaking New Ground.

Throughout 2018, Van Oord has marked its 150th anniversary by drawing attention to its rich past in marine engineering and to present-day challenges, including climate change and the energy transition. Today, 23 November 2018, it has organized the symposium ‘Mastering the Elements’ at the Laurenskerk in Rotterdam.

Paris Climate Agreement

Van Oord has invited Ms Christiana Figueres to speak at the symposium.

Ms Figueres was the United Nations’ top climate change diplomat and delivered the Paris Agreement on Climate in 2015. She will emphasize the importance of achieving the climate agreements to combat global warming.

Presentation of the book Breaking New Ground

The symposium will also take time out to celebrate the history of Dutch marine engineering. Barbara Visser, Dutch State Secretary of Defense, will take receipt of the book Breaking New Ground (Dutch title: Grondleggers), by maritime historian Joke Korteweg.

Ms Korteweg spent four years researching the history of Van Oord and its legal predecessors.

The result is a story of Dutch dredging pioneers and how they turned their skilled craft into today’s professional marine contracting industry. The book has been published by Balans.

Innovation Challenge winners

Van Oord has spent the past few months helping eight entrepreneurs develop a professional business plan.

It was part of the Van Oord Innovation Challenge, a competition for start-ups and scale-ups that are eager to work on building a better future. During the symposium, the winner will have the opportunity to present its innovation to the audience.

The winning start-up will be granted an exclusive, one-year partnership contract with Van Oord.

Close of anniversary year

Van Oord will bring its year-long anniversary celebrations to a close with a two-day event marking the christening of its new trailing suction hopper dredger Vox Amalia.

On 14 December, Her Majesty Queen Máxima will perform the christening ceremony at the Cruise Terminal in Rotterdam in the presence of Van Oord’s employees and guests.