Navitec Marine Services NV is a privately owned company founded in 1978 and part of H2O Group.
We are located centrally in the port of Antwerp and provide all afloat ship repairs for seagoing vessels in the whole ARA area, 24/7. With a combined staff of close to 50 people and a network of strategic partners we realise and annual turnover just shy of € 10.000.000.
Navitec Marine Services is renowned among its customers for maintaining a high quality and safety standard. How easy is for you to sustain this service level and what is the key for your success?
Maintaining high standards of work and safety isn’t necessarily easy. It’s hard work that requires constant attention but it is a main focus throughout the organisation and a natural state of mind for our staff. It thrives on permanent investment is all types of resources, ranging from training of staff, over proper tools and maintenance, to thought out software solutions and their implementation.
Navitec says that is proud to have an excellent track record in retaining its experienced staff and consequently the skills and expertise built up over the years. How important is the human factor for you?
The human factor is our first and foremost priority and gains ever more importance in today’s heated labour market.
We demand a lot of our staff. From not knowing when the day
will end or what they’ll be doing the next day, to working in harsh environments like noisy and overheated engine rooms, the tight and muddy insides of void spaces or the cold and windy deck in winter- time. In return we put a lot of trust in them and allow a great deal of independence in the organisation and execution of a repair project. They take pride in their knowledge and experience and in being truly vital parts of the solutions we offer our customers.
Over the past few years we have made serious investments in new tools and gear as well as in compensation and benefits. In order to provide even better working conditions and to reward their loyalty, we have recently started the construction of new facilities for all staff next to our current workshop. The plans show a strong focus on comfort and wellbeing for all staff.
Next to that we are always looking for ways to engage with staff and their families in other ways than merely executing jobs. We are in the process of setting up a committee whose main tasks is to orga- nise events for our staff and their families, outside from work. We have a strong desire to support people on all levels of their life, even
if not strictly work related. If we can help our support them, we will. Being part of a larger entity like H2O Group really helps in that respect, as they too value people on a personal level throughout. An employee is not just someone who works for you, they are a partner and a stakeholder and deserve valued as such. This is shown by the limited hierarchy in our organisation and the complete accessibility to and for everyone all staff, everyone is always welcome and invited to talk to line managers and senior management about all concerns or ideas they might have and we will always engage in those conversations based on mutual respect.
It is Navitec’s mission to assist crew, owners, charterers and managers in maintaining operability of their vessels in the best possible way. Can you describe how Navitec succeeds in satisfying its customers in the shipping community?
A great deal of our success depends on the above. Having people that embrace the challenges of the maritime industry, that take pride in helping owners and technical managers out and that are always on the lookout for solutions without getting stuck in the problem. The biggest contribution to that success is the inherent “can do” mentality and “Always There” approach mariners bring to our company.
The company’s owner, Captain Joris Van de Water has spent many years at sea, followed by a decade with one of the largest and most successful ship management companies globally. He’s seen all sides to the story first hand and has been in the seat of pretty much al stakeholders involved in successful technical repairs. Four of our Ship Repair Managers have completed a naval education and three have them have sailed as Engineers.
We know how things work, we know who’s involved and who we need to talk to, we know what the consequences of our actions and choices are. Most importantly, we are very aware of the significance of time for any vessel.
The combination of our experience, skill and knowledge on the one hand, and openness, honesty and solution oriented approach on the other hand is what makes us succeed.
* co-CEO of Navitec