Meet Alex, Maritime Engineer

A job where everything comes together

After completing his studies in Maritime Engineering, Alex entered the world of research and earned his PhD in the field of ship hydromechanics. "After obtaining my PhD, I wanted to advance further the specific knowledge product of the behaviour of moored ships within port development. Ideally, this would be at an organisation where the topics of dynamics, waves, research, and advisory converge. Royal HaskoningDHV offered me this opportunity."

"When I joined I had sufficient theoretical knowledge on hydrodynamics, but I didn't have any experience as a consultant. By working on numerous projects and conducting many calculations myself, my role gradually expanded. I became increasingly involved in aspects such as tender processes, customer interactions, writing comprehensive advisory reports, presenting them to clients, and guiding junior colleagues."

And also now, 11 years after starting his job, Alex still finds challenges in his work and enjoys what he does."My role sits at the perfect intersection of commerce and research. I help our clients with their challenges, bringing a lot of dynamism and pace. At the same time, I also have the time and space to delve into what is happening in the field. I immerse myself in certain topics, attend conferences, and write papers. This allows me to still have one foot in the research world, which I greatly appreciate."

Every project is different

"With our advice, we truly help clients move forward. That's what makes our work so enjoyable. Each project is a new challenge because you work with different colleagues for different clients in different parts of the world. So even though the subject remains the same, it's different every time."

"A typical project I worked on was for the port of Rotterdam. In this case, we had to assess whether the existing boulders had enough capacity. Over the years, container ships have become larger and larger. These ships need to be moored at existing quays, which are much older than the lifespan of the ships and were built sometimes 20 to 30 years ago. Mooring of such large ships can pose significant risks, especially when accompanied by other changes in the port, as was the case with this project. The basin needed to be deepened, and the container cranes needed to replaced by larger ones in order to be able to handle the new generation of Ultra Large Container Ships. What effects do these changes have on the quay, and what adjustments should be made to the bollards to ensure the safe mooring of ships? That's where we assisted the port."

International and young colleagues

"What I find enjoyable about our organisation is the international scope of our work. Not only do we work extensively for international clients, but we also collaborate closely with colleagues in overseas offices. This makes the group of colleagues you work with large and diverse. Additionally, a significant portion of the colleagues on the work floor is younger than I am, giving the company a modern feel that is open to hiring individuals with profiles different from the traditional ones."

"Another aspect that I really appreciate is the flexibility. I have a young family at home, and with two young children the space and flexibility you get are essential to me. During busy periods, such as during moving, but also during the time of the pandemic, this is really a must for me. This is something that is self-evident for us but is not commonly found in every organization."