Pieter van Oord Named Port Man of the Year 2017

On January 9, in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, Pieter van Oord, CEO of Van Oord marine and dredging, was named “Port Man of the Year 2017.” This title has been awarded since 1981 to recognize outstanding contributions toward the development of the Port of Rotterdam. The award was presented by the chair of Port Man/Woman of the Year Foundation, Frank de Kruif, who is also a well-respected journalist. The prize was originally instituted by the Rotterdam Press Club, “Kyoto.”

Despite difficult times in the maritime industries, Van Oord has continued to invest in innovations. The company, guided by van Oord, is one of the leaders in expediting the transition of the energy supplies in the Netherlands. Dredging, offshore oil & gas, and offshore wind energy have become the mainstay of Van Oord. As well, the company has invested in modernizing its fleet to meet the demands of the modern maritime activities.

According to the jury, the honor of “Port Man of the Year” is partially a recognition of Van Oord’s social involvement and entrepreneurial role in contributing to the European and Dutch goals to combat climate change by lowering the discharge of CO2 gases. In his acceptance speech, Pieter van Oord suggested that the international shipping companies, despite the challenges, will be fueling ships more frequently with clean LNG.

Pieter van Oord was named CEO in 2008 of the family company, which was founded in the middle 19th century. Under his direction, in 2012 the company moved to a new headquarters in Rotterdam. Van Oord is well known from its projects in Dubai, the creation the Maasvlakte II in Rotterdam’s harbor and offshore windfarms built in recent years.