“WHEN YOU SPEAK THE SAME LANGUAGE AS THE MAN BEHIND THE STEERING WHEEL”

Knowing what you are talking about, providing service, showing interest, making clear arrangements and sometimes, when the pressure is on,  always trying  to remain nice. These are the characteristics of charterer Harrie Volker.

After the HAVO and training at a barge named Alliance, he navigated through Western Europe along with his family on their privately owned barge during seven years.

Then he and his wife chose a ‘normal’ office job and a life ashore.

A befriended charterer once said to him: ‘if you ever want to learn how to trade business and become a charterer, I could definitely use you’.

Harrie took this opportunity and changed the ‘steering wheel’ for a desk and phone. Through domestic chartering, he learned all about our Dutch inland waterways.

However, international barging captured him! For this very reason he switched over to Nautica Binnenscheepvaart and at this point, he has been with Nautica for 15 years and he still feels very much at home.

Knowledge multiplies when shared!

“According to me, expertise is the engine behind Nautica. We are in Zwijndrecht with four charterers in our team.  Our team is big enough to determine a good strategy, but small enough to be informal. The atmosphere is maritime. Openness is a motivator to share knowledge. Flexibility and short lines facilitate decisiveness.”

A barge planner creates expectations.

“Mediation between shipper and barge owner is not without any obligation. They both expect something from you.

You push them into the right direction, to help them  take the best decision. If you don’t have a job for a barge, before the weekend starts and the holds remain empty over the weekend, you know exactly what’s happening on board. ”

Regarding your past as a barge owner, do you still sail along sometimes?

Yes absolutely, a few times during the year I hop on board.

It only takes a while, and it feels like I’ve never been anywhere else.

Steering keeps me keen on the job.

On top of this, I am also noticing that administration has become a serious issue on board. Besides, the ability to predict the water level requires meteorological knowledge and is a serious concern However lightering a barge, for this specific reason, hardly happens.

In the meantime, René Nouwen (ex Managing Director) has taken a step back, how do you see yourself at the company now.

Well, in fact it started a bit earlier though. With the retirement of Hans Kouwen, the ISO management ended up on my plate. Outside chartering, to me, this is interesting enough to be satisfying.

And by this stepping back of René Nouwen , I see myself more like the experienced specialist in barging.  It is for good reason that sr. has been added to my job description. I am the core of chartering, keeping the right overview and maintaining structure. This is of importance in Zwijndrecht as well as in Mainz.