Dutch ship repair yards have called on policymakers to provide more room for ship maintenance, repair and decarbonisation activities. The message was central to a meeting organised by Maritime & Offshore NL at Damen Shiprepair Rotterdam on 17 June.
According to the sector, the ageing fleet cannot be decarbonised through newbuilding alone. Maintenance, retrofitting and modernisation of existing vessels are also essential to achieving climate targets. Dutch repair yards and their suppliers play a key role in this process.
Not just physical space
During the meeting, participants stressed that not only physical space is under pressure, but also the room available within legislation and regulations. The report “Space for the Maritime Manufacturing Industry” (Ruimte voor de Maritieme Maakindustrie) shows that shipyard sites are increasingly competing with other spatial development claims.
According to Maritime & Offshore NL, further loss of yard capacity could have major consequences for both the Dutch and European maritime sectors. The Dutch ship repair industry generated approximately EUR 2 billion in revenue in 2024. Of the roughly 300 shipyards in Europe, around 100 are located in the Netherlands.
Essential condition
‘If we lose more space now, we will lose capacity that cannot be recovered,’ says Erik Peters, Sector Manager for Business Environment at Maritime & Offshore NL. ‘Protecting existing shipyard sites and ensuring sufficient room for repair, maintenance and retrofit activities is therefore not a luxury, but an essential condition for a strong Dutch maritime sector and a resilient Europe.’
The sector emphasises that the fleet of tomorrow starts with the maintenance of today.
