Facts & Figures
New members

16
Events

7
Online events

7
Training courses

8
Exhibitions & Missions

7
Timeline 2022
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