Page 5 - Navigator 2021

Dear reader,
Contrary to what we had all hoped for, 2021 was regrettably still largely dominated by Covid-19. The virus is still among us and is putting great pressure on everyone in the maritime sector. In addition to safeguarding everyone’s health, all nautical parties are continuously faced with the task to, despite Covid, keep the ports optimally accessible 24/7 and to prevent further infections amongst all those involved. As the Dutch Maritime Pilots’ Organisation, we face our own challenges each day in that respect, as do our chain partners. In this brand-new Navigator, we explore from different angles how everyone has managed to successfully navigate said challenges in their own way. Furthermore, we focus on the highly commendable initiative of the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR) to enable the vaccination of
all seafarers who visit the Dutch ports, irrespective of their nationality. A group that would otherwise be at risk of falling through the cracks.
Fortunately, besides corona there are also still plenty of positive developments to report. Our pilot regions are continuously working on further improving their service provision in several ways. Both for the present and with a view to tomorrow. Through practical innovation - such as in-depth research by one of our pilots into the roll periods of the largest tankers and bulk carriers - we proactively contribute to further boosting maritime safety and efficiency. And of course, given our participation in the board of Maritime by Holland, we fully support the concrete ambitions in a new Mari- time Masterplan to make the Netherlands a global leader in sustainable shipping.
Two contraries in this Navigator are the possibility that we allow ourselves to one day in the very distant future have flying maritime pilots and the commemoration of the tragic loss of a sailing pilot vessel in the north of the Netherlands exactly one century ago. Ten pilots and crew members perished. As the Dutch Maritime Pilots’ Organi- sation, we respectfully acknowledge our past whilst being realistic about the present and having an open view to the future, in which corona hopefully fully disappears for everyone. For now, I would like to wish you happy holidays and above all a healthy 2022!
Joost Mulder
Chairman Dutch Pilots’ Corporation
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