EKO-Vation: New Innovative Maritime Platform

A unique IPC-project called EKO-vation has started on Flevoland soil. A group consisting of nineteen innovative companies from the Flevoland region and outside the province have dedicated themselves to the design of a new type of ship.

This new type of vessel will have multiple purposes, like offshore wind and fishing. The participants have joined and established an innovative maritime platform together.

The Netherlands are home to a lot of knowledge in the field of shipbuilding and shipping. According to the members of the project group, this knowledge forms the basis to EKO-vation. The North Sea is a great place for industry so there’s a need for people that are able to work at sea and want to do so. This makes a ship that can easily adapt to a wide range of proceedings a necessity.

The idea of building a multifunctional fishing boat originated in the mind of fisherman Louwe de Boer from Ekofish Group on Urk. Blue Port Urk, Syntens, Ontwikkelingsmaatschappij Flevoland and Maritime Advisors Koers & Vaart picked up on his plan and joined hands. “The key to our project is open innovation. Open means that other companies are able to see our results as well. So far, nineteen other entrepreneurs joined the IPC-project”, says Dirk Jan Hummel, expert of innovation for Syntens. “It’s a mixed company consisting of fisherman, technical designers, ship builders, engineering agencies, shipping companies, logistics companies and maritime suppliers. A broad spectrum of companies, each with its own specialty, brought together in a new maritime platform. We hope to achieve new insights this way.”

Challenge

The main challenge this project faces, is to create a multipurpose ship that can be used for fishing as well as other activities and can be converted into readiness for the new job within six hours. They aim to do this within two years. Hummel says this ship could be of great help to a lot of fishermen that are currently struggling to make ends meet. “Fishermen are perfectly capable of exercising multiple proceedings at sea. They are used to being at sea for long periods of time. When there’s plenty of fish, they can fish, but there are periods when fish is scarce. During those times, they could perform other duties. They’d have multiple tasks and can choose which job they want to do, depending on the profit it brings.”

A first draft of the design and naval aspects of the ship has been completed. The multipurpose design has proven feasible. The new ship could be used for maritime research, fish processing and seismological research. Furthermore, they need to place a diving platform and will also focus on recreational facilities. Using LNG as fuel is technically possible, but the economic, organizational and regulatory aspects will need to be further investigated.

The project has received over half a million euros in subsidy, for its contribution and merit to commercial fishery and the maritime sector. The project group plans to work out the details of the technical design this year and hopes to build a prototype next year. For building and operations, EKO-vation BV will be established. Hummel: “Offshore asks for good workers, while many fishing companies are struggling to get by. This creates big opportunities for everyone.”

IPC-project

SME entrepreneurs can apply for a grant for the IPC project through a secretary. Ten to twenty SME entrepreneurs will work on innovative projects for the max duration of two years. The entrepreneurs will work on collective as well as ‘own’ innovations. They are monitored by a secretary, who protects their interests. Blue Port Urk is secretary for the EKO-vation project. Blue Port supports open innovation routes in fisheries. Agentschap NL assesses the applications on the degree of innovation and cooperation.

SME, November 14, 2013