Annual report 2022

The beginning of 2022 was marked by two influential occurrences. Firstly, the recovery from the COVID pandemic that has gripped the world since early 2020, and secondly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The terrible war in Ukraine has economic consequences worldwide. As a result, two developments arose in the energy market: accelerated transition to sustainable energy and security of energy supply. These developments have consequences and at the same time offer opportunities for the offshore energy industry. As IRO, we are sure our members are ready to tackle these challenges.

Thanks to our innovative mindset and our ability to tackle challenges in times of crisis, we have been strong as a sector and association for over 50 years. In the summer of 2022 we were finally able to celebrate our 50th anniversary. In addition, the IRO organised for instance courses,  member meetings and participated in various (international) exhibitions. A year in which we maintained and strengthened the IRO network. You can read a number of highlights in this annual report.

Annual report 2022

The beginning of 2022 was marked by two influential occurrences. Firstly, the recovery from the COVID pandemic that has gripped the world since early 2020, and secondly, Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The terrible war in Ukraine has economic consequences worldwide. As a result, two developments arose in the energy market: accelerated transition to sustainable energy and security of energy supply. These developments have consequences and at the same time offer opportunities for the offshore energy industry. As IRO, we are sure our members are ready to tackle these challenges.

Thanks to our innovative mindset and our ability to tackle challenges in times of crisis, we have been strong as a sector and association for over 50 years. In the summer of 2022 we were finally able to celebrate our 50th anniversary. In addition, the IRO organised for instance courses,  member meetings and participated in various (international) exhibitions. A year in which we maintained and strengthened the IRO network. You can read a number of highlights in this annual report.

Facts & Figures

New members

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16

Events

IRO 50 jaar jubileum

7

Online events

webinars

7

Training courses

MDS_The Offshore Experience

8

Exhibitions & Missions

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7

Timeline 2022

  • foto 5

    CEDA-IRO meeting on Marine Energy

    Tuesday 15 March we had our annual joint meeting with CEDA in Cultural Center Landvast in Alblasserdam.   This time we looked at other forms of sustainable energy…

    Mar

  • Mar

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    Looking back at a successful IRO Members Meeting Members Meeting at FibreMax

    Wednesday, March 30, we had the first Members Meet Members meeting of this year at FibreMax in Joure. The journey to Joure seems long, but was totally worth it! What a warm welcome at this…

  • otc groep

    IRO back ‘on tour’ at OTC 2022

    Last week we returned from Houston where we attended the first Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) since 2019. With 40 exhibitors and 94% of the usual floor space, we were nearly at full strength and as…

    May

  • May

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    Looking back on a high tech member meeting at GEA Nederland

    From Joure (FibreMax) to ‘s-Hertogenbosch for the members meet members meeting at GEA Nederland on Tuesday 24 May. More than 60 members attended the meeting and were very interested in the presentation about GEA’s high…

  • IRO 50 jaar jubileum

    IRO 50 years: embracing the energy transition, celebrating the future!

    Finally yesterday the 50th anniversary of IRO could be celebrated in the Fokker Terminal in The Hague! The attendance was large with over 380 guests and with the warm and sunny weather the atmosphere was…

    Jun

  • Jun

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    Netherlands Pavilion at SEOGS

    From 28-30 June IRO went to Paramaribo for the Suriname Energy, Oil & Gas Summit & Exhibition (SEOGS). SEOGS is a new, small, but good exhibition on the initiave of Staatsolie because of the large…

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    Successful ONS Stavanger

    From August 29th to September 1st, 27 companies were at the Dutch Pavilion at the ONS in Stavanger. Due to the 2020 edition being skipped because of Covid, it was 4 years ago that we…

    Aug

  • Nov

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    ADIPEC breaks all records, great success for Netherlands Pavilion!

    From October 31 to November 3, the annual ADIPEC exhibitions took place in Abu Dhabi. IRO again organised the Netherlands Pavilion with 30 participating companies. ADIPEC is becoming the most leading energy event worldwide and…

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    Fruitful hydrogen mission during ADIPEC

    Parallel to the ADIPEC (October 31 to November 3), a three-day hydrogen mission was organised by the Dutch embassies from the GCC region in collaboration with RVO and IRO. About 12 Dutch…

    Nov

  • Nov

    Mark Heine jaarrede

    IRO chairman Mark Heine: IRO members are in an excellent position to fully respond to the energy transition with innovation and entrepreneurship

    Thursday, 24 November, the IRO Annual General Meeting took place, this time we were welcomed very hospitably in the beautiful new office of Allseas in Delft. The main items on the agenda: presentation finances: result…

  • Offshore energy

    Offshore Energy – joining forces for Offshore Energy

    The Offshore Energy Exhibition & Conference on 29 & 30 November brought together more than 400 exhibitors and more than 6,500 registered visitors in the ‘Home of Energy Transition’ in RAI Amsterdam. It was very…

    Nov

  • Nov

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    Trade mission to Vietnam – offshore wind also represented

    From 28 to 30 November 2022 over 40 companies participated in a trade mission to Vietnam. Minister Liesje Schreinemacher for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation led the mission. “Vietnam is interesting for the Netherlands due…

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    Aramco Europe and IRO event: Supply Chain & Business Opportunities in Saudi Arabia, Tuesday 6 December

    On Tuesday 6 December Aramco Europe and IRO welcomed more than 50 (IRO) companies active in the sustainability and renewables fields as well as contractors and service providers at the DOB-Academy. The event went beyond…

    Dec

  • Dec

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    Unique experiences at DISA/C-Ventus during IRO member meeting on 14 December

    What a unique experience during this IRO members meet members meeting at DISA International/C-Ventus. To be able to feel how it is to sit in a decompression chamber or try to weld underwater yourself! The…

  • IRO 50 years

    On 23 June we were finally able to celebrate IRO’s 50th anniversary at the Fokker Terminal in The Hague. The attendance was large with over 380 guests and with the warm and sunny weather the atmosphere was good right away. The appointment of Mark Heine as the new IRO chairman and the presentation of the Award of Excellence to Pieter Heerema made it a true celebration.

    Enjoy the aftermovie or have a look at the gallery.

     

    IRO & corporate responsibility

    The offshore energy industry is an important pillar for the energy transition and a vital sector for a stable, future-oriented and sustainable energy supply. From oil & gas to wind energy, from hydrogen to marine energy, from CCS to decom, from geothermal energy to ecology. IRO embraces the sustainable development goals and works together with its members on a future-oriented and sustainable offshore energy industry. As an association we support initiatives that contribute to a more sustainable future.

    Recharge Earth

    IRO is a Supporting Partner of the Recharge Earth platform. This initiative by Rotterdam Ahoy brings together relevant parties in the field of energy supply and energy transition. Recharge Earth focuses on collaboration and knowledge exchange between all groups that play a role in the energy transition: governments, companies, knowledge centers, service providers and non-profit.

    More information about Recharge Earth: www.recharge-earth.com

    Globale Sustainable Enterprise System (GSES)

    GSES translates over 550 existing international sustainability standards into a universal score and explanation. The GSES platform facilitates measurement, verification and certification of sustainability performance. Both social and environmental. It is validated through independent partners and accreditation institutions.

    For more information about GSES: https://gses-system.com/

    Maritime Masterplan

    The Maritime Master plan, a plan to become a global leader in the construction and use of smart, clean and safe ships. By 2030, the sector wants to have 50 zero-emission ships in service. With the Maritime Master Plan, we accelerate the transition to zero-emission shipping to combat climate change and at the same time secure our strategic autonomy in the maritime field. This strengthens our international competitive position and makes an important contribution to the sustainable earning capacity of the Dutch economy.

    Within the Maritime Masterplan, four routes have been defined, namely:
    • Hydrogen as an alternative fuel;
    • Methanol as an alternative fuel;
    • LNG (liquefied natural gas) with carbon capture (underground CO2 storage);
    • Digitization (to support the modular design and construction of zero-emission demonstration ships).

    Many IRO members are involved in these projects to shape the energy transition.

    IRO across the border

    Export promotion

    Export promotion is one of the main pillars of IRO and working closely with various stakeholders is essential. In 2022, IRO collaborated with embassies around the world to participate in exhibitions and trade missions, including in the US, UK, Suriname, Norway, Germany, United Arab Emirates and Vietnam. Our embassies in those countries also played an important role in 2022.

    Fortunately, in May we were able to organise a physical Netherlands pavilion again during the OTC in Houston (US), at which the Energy Transition Lounge was a nice addition. In June we were present at SEOGS in Suriname, and in September at ONS in Stavanger (Norway). We were also present with a Netherlands pavilion during ADIPEC in Adu Dhabi. ADIPEC has developed into the leading energy event worldwide and broke all visitor records. Parallel to ADIPEC was a three-day hydrogen mission, organised by the Dutch embassies from the GCC region in collaboration with RVO and IRO. Via Wind & Water Works we were active during Global Offshore Wind in Manchester (UK) and Wind Energy Hamburg (Germany) and took part in the trade mission to Vietnam. We were also present at Offshore Energy in Amsterdam.

    We are looking forward, to present our wonderful members in the Netherlands Pavilions around the globe in 2023.

    IRO & the public eye

    New members in the spotlight

    In a short interview new IRO members are put in the spotlight with questions such as ‘What do you excel at?’, ‘What convinced you to become a member?’, ‘What do you have to offer the other members?’ and ‘How does your company contribute to the energy transition?. Read their interiews here:

    Interviews

    Several interviews or input for articles were provided in national and international media over the year, in which the constructive role of Dutch suppliers in the global (Offshore) energy transition forms a common thread. Topics ranged from overviews of the Dutch offshore oil, gas, offshore renewable and marine energy industry to the innovative mentality of the Dutch suppliers’ industry and the strength of networking in the industry.

    Interview VNO-NCW magazine
    Sander Vergroesen: ‘We want to talk to the government about accelerating the processes in the energy transition.’
    Read the full article here.

    Double interview Pieter van Oord and Mark Heine
    Pieter van Oord officially said goodbye as chairman of IRO on 23 June 2022 during IRO’s 50th anniversary. He has been at the helm of the association for more than 10 years. For a farewell interview, Han Heilig of Ocean Energy Resources spoke with Pieter van Oord and his successor Mark Heine. Read more below.

    Interview IRO chairman Mark Heine
    The nuance must return to the energy debate. Mark Heine: ‘Sustainability is not a matter of flipping a switch’. Read the full article here.

    IRO & partners

    Membership VNO-NCW

    IRO is a member of VNO-NCW. As a member of the general board, IRO has a say on, for example, the official positions of VNO/NCW in the field of energy transition. In this way IRO contributes to the positioning and support of the offshore energy industry. Together with our partners from Nederland Maritiem Land and from VNO-NCW, we are convinced that we are able to advocate the importance of the Dutch Offshore Energy Industry at the highest level.

    (International) cooperation with other organisations

    Over the year much attention was paid to cooperation with other organisations and associations for the purpose of exchanging information and exploring common areas of interest. IRO would like to thank, among others, the following organisations for their pleasant cooperation: Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Dutch embassies and consulates abroad, Maritime by Holland (NML), FME, KNVR, the Royal Netherlands Society of Engineers (KIVI), the Central Dredging Association (CEDA), Element NL, SodM, IADC, AYOP, RPPC, NMT, Port of Rotterdam, NWEA, NABC, NexStep, DMEC and Nationaal Duurzaamheidsinstituut (NDI).

    Young IRO

    2022: Guess who is back, back again!

    After a year of virtual and home events, in 2022, the Young IRO community was able to return to in-person events and activities, allowing for reigniting the flame of the young professional community. This was and is evident in the enthusiasm of the members.

    Highlights of 2022 include:

    • The registration of our 550th member and counting
    • Celebrating IRO’s 50-year anniversary
    • A Pub Quiz hosted by Young IRO at the Offshore Energy 2022
    • 3 valuable networking drinks for members to connect and share ideas
    • Offshore as an Art – a great interactive evening at the Maritime Museum Rotterdam with fellow young offshore peers
    • A warm welcome to Floor and Sjoerd joining as new board members
    • A steady increase in followers on our LinkedIn page, with over 1600 followers

    Looking ahead at 2023

    As we look ahead to 2023, the Young IRO Board is excited to continue building on the momentum from the past year. Our mission is to connect and inspire the next generation of IRO professionals to shape the energy industry of tomorrow. We have several engaging activities planned that focus on industry trends and professional development for our community, with a highlight of celebrating Young IRO’s 5th anniversary. We will also continue to expand our network and partnerships to support the growth and development of our members.

    We would like to express our appreciation to all the Young IRO members for their contributions to the community. We are looking forward to another successful year with the support of our members, friends, and partners.

    Sincerely,

    Young IRO Board 2023

    Thijs Kamphuis, Ruben de Nie, Ivo Muller, Meike Kolthof, Ruben de Jong, Floor Spaargaren en Sjoerd Koudijs