Ard-Jan Kooren
Kotug International, primarily based in Rotterdam, has supplied towage and associated companies to the maritime business for years. Leading that household owned enterprise is Ard-Jan Kooren, who joined Kotug in 1990 as an operations worker and labored his manner up in 2002 to the rank of CEO, a job his father held earlier than him.
Over the final yr or so, the corporate has labored on some attention-grabbing, cutting-edge tasks to incorporate a zero-emissions barging answer and an e-pusher tug. We dive extra into this and different necessary information popping out of Kotug within the unique interview with Kooren.
Marine Log (ML): First, are you able to inform us extra about Kotug and its place within the maritime business?
Ard-Jan Kooren (AJK): With roots going again so far as 1911, Kotug is a family-owned firm and trusted voice and companion of main firms inside the worldwide maritime business, providing a broad vary of progressive towage and maritime-related companies. Kotug has all the time been dedicated to taking a number one position within the transition in direction of sustainable and protected maritime options. From the design and building of the revolutionary Rotortug, to the primary hybrid tug beneath class. In 2018, Kotug was the primary firm on the earth to remotely function a tugboat. Adding worth via sustainability-focused improvements, Kotug supplies a whole portfolio of companies primarily based on a mix of long-standing data and superior applied sciences. From designing, constructing, chartering and working vessels to coaching folks and offering progressive consultancy companies. We are energetic in Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, the Middle East, North and South America and the Caribbean and proceed to develop our operations worldwide.
Since 2021, Kotug has been energetic in inland delivery with the introduction of the distinctive Kotug E-Pusher Series, a variety of modular and scalable electrical pusher tugs (Small, Medium and Large) powered by swappable power containers, together with a wise AI-driven dispatch and route planning software. With this zero-emission logistic answer, Kotug goals to assist the worldwide power transition and the modal shift from street transport to waterways whereas assembly the rising demand for electric-powered vessels. With the E-Pusher we provide an answer that’s not held on one power supply; the swappable power container can simply swap from batteries to stage V diesel to hydrogen and so forth. This permits a whole zero emission arrange but in addition a gradual shift to utterly zero emission transportation in time. With the E-Pusher, Kotug helps firms that wish to construct extra resilient and sustainable provide chains.
The E-Pusher S, also referred to as CityBarge, has already develop into a confirmed idea for silent and emission-free business transportation of (building) waste and building supplies in a number of cities within the Netherlands. It is the reply to the extreme restrictions of heavy transport in internal cities and the worldwide development to construct habitable and inexperienced cities. As we converse, the Kotug E-Pusher kind M is being assembled in Rotterdam.
ML: It was introduced earlier this yr that Kotug is working with a 3rd get together to supply a zero-emissions barging answer for Cargill. Can you inform us extra about this challenge and the place it’s in growth?
AJK: KOTUG will deploy the KOTUG E-Pusher kind M and 4 electrified barges for zero-emission barging of cocoa beans from Cargill between the Port of Amsterdam, the most important cocoa import port on the earth, and their cocoa services in Zaandam. Cargill would be the first firm on the earth with this totally electrified industrial setup for inland delivery. The swappable battery power containers will come from a 3rd get together.
The E-Pusher is modularly constructed, which is totally different from conventional shipbuilding. The design consists of a body, a patented & recyclable floating physique, a propulsion system, a containerized power supply, and lodging. The elements are ordered/constructed concurrently by fastidiously chosen suppliers, introduced collectively to 1 location, and assembled into one vessel. Altogether, this lean course of leads to considerably decrease prices (-25%) and shorter supply instances. Parts will be changed simply, and the design can simply be modified per vessel. Finally, the E-Pusher is totally recyclable and doesn’t want antifouling.
ML: In May, Kotug and the Seamen’s Church Institute right here within the U.S. partnered to supply maritime coaching throughout the United States. How did this partnership come to be and what kind of coaching are you providing collectively?
AJK: Kotug is firmly dedicated to the very best business requirements of well being, security, surroundings, high quality and safety. With ports and vessels rising greater and greater, security and the sufficient deployment of belongings have develop into a threat for protected and environment friendly operations. Back in 2000, Kotug began providing a high-quality coaching system. We consider intensive coaching and simulation are the important thing options to mitigating these dangers. Why? Because we see in our each day operations how captains which can be solely skilled on the job considerably cut back the capability and potential of the belongings they work with. This is commonly, and really sadly, as a result of ignorance, resulting in unsafe an inefficient operations that additionally endangers the surroundings.
Our complete tug grasp coaching is a potent mixture of data, concept and apply. Delivered by skilled tug masters with first-hand experience throughout the complete vary of tug varieties, our strategies are primarily based on in-depth tug operation data mixed with intensive towage expertise in all circumstances and environments. Because a brand new kind of tug influences maneuvering procedures on board ships, influencing a pilot’s job, we additionally provide joint pilot and captain coaching. Comprising the overall process of ship dealing with primarily based on the brand new kind of tug and its capabilities and limitations, bearing in mind port traits, ships calling on the port and environmental circumstances.
Training takes place in simulator facilities throughout the globe, in school rooms and stay on actual ships. Since 2019, Seamen’s Church Institute (SCI), Riben Marine, and Kotug have carried out coaching for ship pilots and tug masters—-prior to conducting feasibility research for brand spanking new docks and waterway tasks–alongside the Texas Gulf Coast. As a logical subsequent step, this yr, Kotug entered right into a strategic partnership to supply unique coaching of (tug) masters, ships’ crews, river barge shippers, and pilots by licensed Kotug trainers at SCI coaching services throughout the United States.
In May this yr, this partnership got here collectively in the course of the first Basic Azimuth Stern Drive (ASD) Tug Class for Moran Towing Corporation, among the many largest tow and tug fleet operations within the United States. SCI additionally makes use of Kotug’s distinctive evaluation app, permitting them to objectively measure the success of their coaching in assist of their drive to ship the very best coaching requirements to their prospects. Not solely the app measures the effectiveness of the coaching, nevertheless it additionally generates an in depth reporting suite.
ML: Do you present or provide different companies to the U.S.?
AJK: The firm’s experience is split throughout a lot of associated pillars:
- Towage (Harbour, Offshore and Terminal Towage, Inland Towage, Chartering and Salvage);
- Training and Consultancy, Intelligence (OptiPort, Analytics and Reporting, Drone Line Transfer);
- Subsea (SPM Operations and Maintenance, Asset Integrity Management); and
- Maritime Excellence (Ship Management, Innovations, Projects & New Building, Fast Crew Transportation).
We have a number of purchasers throughout the U.S. who use Kotug OptiPort; our Artificial Intelligence-based planning instrument. OptiPort unlocks operational capability by smarter planning, resulting in asset optimisation and extra sustainable operations over the whole nautical worth chain, by considerably decreasing gas consumption of the tugs and different nautical belongings. From tug scheduling to port exercise reporting, crew planning, port optimisation and inland towage. Lastly, our skilled recommendation will be utilized to all conditions involving tugs, from designing port and terminal layouts to figuring out procedures for sustainable waterborne transport tasks.
In addition, now we have a partnership with Seabulk Maritime, Kotug Seabulk Maritime. In this partnership we deploy 4 tugboats, a line handler, a crew tender launch and a bunker barge to execute all terminal towage operations, together with bunker barge help for Buckeye Partners, L.P. at their Buckeye Bahamas Hub in Freeport Bahamas.
ML: Finally, are you able to inform us extra about your milestone tasks that got here on-line this yr and what can we count on from Kotug in 2023?
AJK: An absolute spotlight this yr was the acquisition of Seaways International in September. Seaways was a good proprietor and operator of state-of-the-art Offshore Support Vessels offering offshore marine companies to the worldwide power business. The acquisition is a vital milestone for Kotug to strengthen our main place in world offshore markets and is a part of Kotug’s technique to develop its enterprise in aiding worldwide floating services similar to FSO, FPSO, FLNG, FSRU and SPM Terminals.
In 2023, we’ll proceed to concentrate on supporting our purchasers in making their operations extra sustainable with new services and products and enhancing our present companies. For occasion, the Kotug Drone Line Transfer, utilizing a drone to attach the towline to an assisted vessel—drastically improves the protection margin of tug operations as this avoids the necessity for manoeuvring within the so-called hazard zone. Furthermore, we’ll concentrate on rolling out the E-Pusher and additional consolidate the main place of Kotug in world offshore markets after the acquisition of Dubai-based Seaways International.
