Rotterdam as (international) springboard for We4Sea

We4Sea is an innovative frontrunner with its roots in the Rotterdam region. With the use of a unique digital twin concept they are able to help in reducing the fuel consumption of seagoing vessels. Turning their ambition to make shipping more efficient, cleaner, cheaper and sustainable into reality.

Creating sustainability impacts with the digital twin concept

We4Sea monitors the performance of any seagoing vessels remotely without the need to be onboard. This allows them to create transparency about the vessel’s performance, and the ability to benchmark fuel consumption. It generates valuable insights that could lead to substantial impacts on performance and emission reductions, all contributing to their mission to save 1 million tons of CO2 emissions. According to Dan Veen their concept has the potential to create tremendous effects. “A ship can easily consume 50.000 litres a day, if you manage to reduce fuel consumption by just 1%. It immediately has a substantial impact on reducing harmful emissions.”

From start-up to scale-up

The idea for the concept was initiated during Dan’s time at TNO (the Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research) in Delft. Dan decided to move forward after studying the fuel efficiency of ships for several years, including the creation of a vessel-monitoring model. They managed to develop their business plan and the company itself. This was done with the assistance of Yes!Delft who helped to validate the idea, find the correct product-market fit, and to turn We4Sea into a successful start-up. Now after five years We4Sea has grown into a scale-up helping clients worldwide to optimise their fleets and reduce emissions.

Check out the scale-up climate

Springboard to the international market

Rotterdam has plenty to offer start-ups and scale-ups seeking growth opportunities. The regional innovation ecosystem is unique, especially when it comes to innovations that are or might be interesting for the maritime industry. The network of potential partners, investors and clients is just around the corner, with an open attitude to welcoming newcomers. Close cooperation between (regional) governments, knowledge institutions, financial institutions and the industry nurtures an ecosystem where groundbreaking ideas and products are created, tested and brought to reality. All this makes the Rotterdam region the perfect testing ground and springboard for maritime scale-ups seeking to enter the international maritime market.

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