Dick-Jan de Blaeij

Believing Before the Market Does

We strongly believed in electric propulsion from the very beginning.

But believing in a technology and convincing the market are two very different things.

The maritime industry is, by nature, a conservative market. And that's perfectly understandable.

Vessels are built to operate for decades. Investments are significant, and reliability is always the highest priority.

A new solution doesn't only have to prove itself technically.

Customers also need the confidence to rely on it.

With our electric Pods and Thrusters, we were perhaps ahead of the market when it came to sustainability and emission reduction.

That sounds exciting, but being ahead of the market is rarely the easiest position to be in.

You have to invest before demand fully develops.

You have to keep explaining why a different solution delivers better results.

And every single day, you have to prove that innovation and reliability go hand in hand.

As an entrepreneur, you don't make important decisions only when everything is going well.

The real decisions are made when circumstances become more challenging.

We've experienced those moments ourselves.

The COVID pandemic created enormous uncertainty. Projects were postponed. International travel came to a standstill. No one knew exactly what would happen next.

Shortly afterwards, the market was confronted with rising costs, supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty.

Those are the moments when you ask yourself one simple question:

What decisions do we make today to become stronger tomorrow?

For us, the answer has always been the same.

• Continue investing in technology.
• Continue investing in people.
• Continue investing in quality.
• Continue improving the way we manage and deliver projects.

Not recklessly. But deliberately.

Leadership Built on Trust

I've also learned that, as a Managing Director, you don't have to have every answer yourself.

I deliberately surround myself with experienced people who challenge my thinking when necessary.

People like Hans, whose years of international service experience provide invaluable practical insight.

And Erik, who connects sales, engineering, production and service into one integrated project organisation.

I'm not looking for people who simply agree with me.

I value constructive debate.

Not to prove who's right, but because open discussion almost always leads to better decisions.

That's why my leadership style is built on trust.

People are given the freedom to do what they do best, take responsibility and challenge me when they see opportunities to improve.

Trust creates room for expertise, responsibility and better decisions.

That same straightforward approach is how we present ourselves to the market.

No exaggerated marketing claims.

Simply demonstrating what we do, what we've proven and where we're continuing to improve.

From Innovation to Long-Term Partnership

An important milestone in our development was our collaboration with Damen.

Damen is one of the world's leading shipbuilders, and partnerships like this are not built on innovative technology alone.

You also have to demonstrate that you can manage projects, assure quality, honour commitments and support customers throughout the entire lifecycle of a propulsion system.

For us, this partnership is far more than a commercial relationship.

It keeps us sharp. It challenges us to continue improving.

And it gives us the opportunity to apply our technology in projects where reliability and predictability are critical.

That's exactly what an innovative company needs.

Not only customers, but partners who are prepared to move forward together.

For our customers, it means working with a company that understands that trust isn't built through big promises.

Trust is built by being honest.

By saying what is achievable.

By being transparent when something requires attention.

And by taking responsibility when things don't go exactly as planned.

Together with our sales team, we don't aim to sell a story.

We aim to provide confidence based on facts: proven technology, controlled project execution, transparent communication and people who stand behind their product.

Innovation doesn't mean you always know exactly how the journey will unfold.

It means choosing a clear direction, surrounding yourself with the right people and continuing to do what you've promised, even when circumstances become challenging.

Technology creates performance. People create confidence. Trust creates long-term partnerships.