Meet Alex, Senior Consultant Electrical Power & Energy

An expert in the field of energy supply

After working at Akzo Nobel for over 14 years and working for several installation contractors, Alex joined our organisation around 20 years ago. "Over the years, I have developed myself towards a maritime energy expert, working mainly on projects in the maritime sector. This not only includes projects related to ports and terminals but, for example, also on- and offshore wind farms, cable structures in the sea and alternative fuels for the shipping industry such as hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels."

"Within our projects, I am, for example, responsible for reducing the environmental impact of energy consumption in ports through electrification, shore power and local, sustainable energy generation, but also the conceptual design of the complete electrical infrastructure for ports, terminals, wind farms and industrial sites."

"Since I'm already doing this for a long time, I have developed a lot of substantive knowledge in this field. This means I'm also sometimes asked to share my knowledge on, for example, summits within the industry or other occasions. Sometimes in the Netherlands, sometimes abroad. Sometimes for operational staff, sometimes for high management."

One of Alex’s highlights

"One of my favourite projects is a project I worked on when I had not been employed here that long, namely a project for a container terminal in Zeebrugge. This project had to be done in a short time, and I was also involved in the execution. Because it had to be done in such a short time, we immediately brought a contractor on board and worked on the design with people from the contractor, the client and Royal HaskoningDHV on-site in Zeebrugge. And since there was only an existing quay with some old facilities, a lot had to be done. This made the decision-making process really quick. It was my first container terminal project, and I discovered what you should pay attention to when designing it. I benefit from that knowledge to this day and have been seen as a specialist in that field ever since."

"In recent years, I have been working on shore power projects. This started with smaller projects for inland vessels in the port of Rotterdam, and currently, we are working on the Cruise Terminal in Rotterdam, which will, in 2024 be the first terminal in The Netherlands where shore power can be supplied to the world’s largest cruise ships. I have been involved in this project from the very first concept idea three years ago. And now the contractor is on board, we are working on the detailed designs, and next year it will be built. It is nice to be involved with a project from the first moment until the final handover to the client".

Freedom to create your own path

With us, you can craft your own career and development path across the diversity of domains the company is active in. Alex also experiences this: "By working on various projects and switching between departments occasionally, you build a network within the company, which is really valuable in such a large organisation. You get the freedom to undertake and investigate topics you're interested in."

"When I want to develop my knowledge, I mainly just talk to people. I do this, for example, by visiting a conference, exhibition or a supplier. But also, for example, by visiting a project that has already been built. Then you can see how your design works and what lessons you can learn from it. If you take the initiative or responsibility for this, a lot is possible."

“Working for Royal HaskoningDHV gives you plenty of opportunities to gain international working experience. I have worked in more than 30 countries, sometimes only a few days, sometimes for several months.”