Marin received the Maritime Medal of Honour at the 'One step beyond' symposium. To promote the maritime sector and the choice of a maritime career, the Maritime Engineering and Offshore Engineering departments of the Royal Institute of Engineers (KIVI) awarded the medal of honour to MARIN. This time, KIVI chose to award the medal of honour not to an individual, but to an institute.
History of the Medal of Honour
The KIVI Departments of Maritime Engineering and Offshore Engineering together issue an honorary medal every two years, alternately in the maritime and offshore sector.
This medal is intended for individuals or organisations that have shown special merit in the field of maritime engineering. In awarding the medal, the emphasis is on abilities as a designer, constructor, scientist, researcher or entrepreneur. The laureate must have done pioneering, original or brilliant work and made a major contribution to the sector.
Meanwhile, the medal of honour has been awarded to
- Gerard Dijkstra, Yacht designer and founder of Dykstra Naval Architects
- Joop Roodenburg, Director of Huisman Equipment BV
- Lex Keuning, Chief Scientific Officer at TUDelft
- Edward Heerema, Chairman of the Board of Allseas Group
- Rene Berkvens, CEO, now member of the Supervisory Board, of Damen Shipyards
- David Molenaar, CEO of Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy BV
The first four laureates were awarded for their excellence in engineering, design and technical solutions. Next, at Rene Berkvens, was about the creation of a new business formula. And finally, with David Molenaar, it was about his impetus to realise projects in energy transition. Now, at MARIN, KIVI continues along this path, the jury heavily considered the social relevance of the laureate's performance in its decision.
The award ceremony took place on 11 November at MARIN in Wageningen. The medal was presented by Thecla Bodewes, figurehead of Top Sector Water & Maritime.
The Maritime Research Institute of the Netherlands, MARIN
MARIN is the leading research institute in the Dutch top sector 'Water and Maritime'; an institute of world renown. When it was founded in 1932 as the Dutch Shipbuilding Research Station Foundation, the institute formulated its first challenge: 'to make waves, wind and water maximally controllable in their uncontrollability' From that moment on, MARIN has succeeded in acquiring the best knowledge, finding the right researchers who know how to deal with it and know how to add to it. And in doing so, MARIN has become a global leader. And has maintained that position to this day.
MARIN Project 'Floating Islands'
MARIN's success cannot be attributed to one person. The institute's strength stands by the cooperation of its researchers. In the harsh world of waves, wind and water, it is the whole crew that makes the ship sail, which is also how it goes at MARIN. And with that knowledge, for the first time the medal of honour goes to an entire institute.
'One step beyond' symposium
MARIN has moved with the times. The challenge of waves of wind and water started with sailing the sea. Today's challenges are many. The climate demands energy conservation and energy transition, society demands circularity. Now maritime knowledge has to deliver much more, and it can. And that sometimes requires the courage to take a leap into the unknown. What MARIN has to say in that, that is what the 'One step beyond' symposium is about.
