Our organisation

The Rotterdam Port Welfare Committee consists of the initiators Deltalinqs and the Port of Rotterdam, supplemented by Stichting de Beer and VRC, the Association of Rotterdam Shipbrokers, with close involvement from Rotterdam seafarers’ and welfare organizations.

• Deltalinqs is a trade association, representing companies in the Port of Rotterdam. One of its many activities is organizing the administration charges for visiting ships. These charges have existed since the 1920s and are intended for “general advocacy,” including welfare. Many ports impose these charges based on customary law, but there are no fixed rules or rates. However, a few years ago, Deltalinqs agreed with shipping companies on a fixed percentage for Rotterdam, set at 0.35% of the seaport dues. There is strong support among shipping companies to maintain this arrangement for the future, as many good things are achieved with these funds.
• Port of Rotterdam N.V. is the manager, operator, and developer of the Rotterdam port and industrial area. HbR invests — among other things from seaport dues — in the development of the existing port area, new port sites, public infrastructure, and the handling of shipping traffic. While Deltalinqs allocates part of its administration charges to the Rotterdam Port Welfare Committee, the Port of Rotterdam supplements this with an additional amount of 100,000 euros. It is the committee’s responsibility to allocate this money optimally.
• VRC, the Association of Rotterdam Shipbrokers, safeguards and advocates for the collective interests of shipbrokers in the port. A shipbroker, in turn, represents the interests of the parties involved with the tens of thousands of sea vessels that visit Rotterdam each year: shipowners, shippers, and freight forwarders. In the Port Welfare Committee, the VRC represents the shipping companies.

The composition of the committee is as follows:

• René de Vries, chairman; Harbour Master Port of Rotterdam
• Bas Janssen; Deltalinqs – Port business community
• Robert Bravenboer; VRC – Representation of shipping companies
• Hylke Hylkema; Representation of seafarers, trade union
• Helene Perfors; Ship visits, crew mental well-being, missions
• Piet Hoogerwaard; General, shore facilities, volunteer organisations