The awareness amongst Brazilian captains of the maritime industry of how Dutch innovations can contribute to their business success has significantly increased over the last two months.
This consciousness will only further increase at the 9th edition of the Navalshore in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. During this exhibition held from August 1-3, the leading Dutch maritime organizations part of the Holland Marine House Brazil (HMHB), a subsidiary of Holland Marine Equipment (HME), will further highlight innovations and their business advantages.
On June 26th, a trade mission with prominent Brazilian companies already got a taste of what the members of the HMHB are capable of. On board of ThyssenKrupp´s latest addition to their fleet, the Veerhaven III, Loggers demonstrated an unique and patented air suspension system for towboats. The innovations on the Veerhaven where considered very impressive and suitable for inland navigation in the guests´ home markets. Evolved and recently branded as Towair, this solution allows 24/7 transportation over Brazil´s major rivers under the best possible working and safety conditions.
Vibration and noise are typical problems encountered on towboats. While boating over the Dutch inland waterways, Brazilian Directors, CEOs and VPs experienced the noise and vibration isolation achieved by this solution. By isolating all harmful vibrations and reducing noise levels to only 45-50 dB(A), it quickly became clear Towair is the key to their challenges in improving their HSE conditions and staying a ahead of new regulations on this matter. Providing good working conditions and safety on board will eventually enable Brazilian river transportation companies to gain competitive advantages.
The innovations aboard the Veerhaven are good examples of what the HMHB and Loggers have to offer their Brazilian counterparts, but there is much more. For this reason, the HMHB established a workgroup focusing on inland waterways: the Dutch Inland Vessel Collaboration. Each organization adds value to the collective with their specific know-how and experience. As a result, this collective combined is able to provide the Brazilian market with innovative inland vessels that meet the highest standards, requirements and quality demands. The Brazilian leaders responded positively to this initiative of joining forces to serve their companies better. During the Navalshore, together the next steps will be taken to strengthen the Brazilian shipbuilding industry with Dutch ingenuity.
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Source: Loggers, August 2, 2012