For several years Conoship International has been giving guest lectures for the students of Maritime Technology at NHL-Stenden University of Applied Sciences (part of the Maritime Institute Willem Barentsz) in Leeuwarden. Our CEO, Geert Dokter and, our Project Manager, Wouter van Terwisga MSc, in co-operation with lecturer Roelof Jorritsma of NHL-Stenden, set up the course of Maritime Economics for the next generation of Naval Architects. In the third year of their studies, our lectures introduce students to what is happening in the shipping markets.
Conoship provides a company’s point of view of the market and helps the students to develop the practical skills to understand the fast speed transition happening in the industry, overcoming one of the main challenges of higher education.
“Over the past months, our CEO Geert Dokter and I have had the privilege of teaching the ‘Maritime Economics’ course at NHL-Stenden. This course was established by Geert Dokter shortly after I graduated, with the aim of equipping the next generation of Naval Architecture students with a broad understanding of the economic factors influencing shipping”
Wouter van Terwisga, Project Manager at Conoship
Geert Dokter had the idea to create this content to get the next wave of Naval Architecture students thinking about the economics of shipping (financing, the global economy, the four shipping markets, market cycles, and the push-and-pull of supply and demand). “This could lead them to design better ships, the kind of ships that are not just state-of-the-art in design, but also make sense in terms of their utilization across their lifetime”, explains Van Terwisga.
The world of maritime technology changes very fast, and it is important to understand history to help you make more accurate predictions.
“This lecture helps me see the big picture and know what is happening worldwide in the Maritime Industry. It is also important to understand that for a business to thrive, it always has to consider the best solutions for the environment and to be aware of the new normative scenario”
Rowan Lange, student of the bachelor in Maritime Technology
During the Maritime Economics lectures, the students can also get some insights into the combination of economics and data analytics to provide forecasting for maritime markets and design adequate ships for the future.
“The course exceeded my expectations because we can acknowledge the connection between building the ships and how they are used, the lifetime of the vessels and the total economic complexity in which it is involved”
Suze Clijsen, student of the bachelor in Maritime Technology
Our Project Manager Wouter van Terwisga finished his Bachelor of Engineering, Naval Architect and Marine Engineering in 2017 at NHL Hogeschool and shares:
“Returning to NHL-Stenden University as a teacher, rather than a student, has been a great experience for me. I’ve drawn upon the knowledge I acquired from the TU Delft, coupled with the practical experience from my four years of work at Conoship International, to create a balanced learning experience for the students. But it was Geert’s anecdotes and insights from his broad experience in the industry that sparked many fantastic questions from our students. I like to think that we’ve left them with more than just textbook knowledge. Maybe we’ve managed to light a spark that’ll help them make the most of what they’ve learned when they’re out there, shaping the future of naval architecture”
It is already the 8th year of these interesting sessions, where students hear directly from a company (practise) the ‘need to know’ about the economics (theory) behind the ships & shipping. We are excited to continue these important discussions with new generations.
