Steel pipes of 128 meters long and 2 meters wide and 7 days on the Amazone River, in the middle of the jungle. These are only two of many exciting projects Hudig & Veder Chartering coordinates daily. It is time to have a look into the dynamic job of Johan van der Gijze, Broker at Hudig & Veder. What makes his job after all these years still so interesting?
Johan starts to tell: “At Hudig & Veder, we have our ABC concept. A concept in which all the different departments within the Hudig & Veder Group work together. This way of working enables us to fully cover a supply chain and its operations. To be a partner in logistics to this extent, requires not only perfectly operating processes, but certainly also well-structured personal contact with your customer. All the aspects lead to remarkable projects, such as:
Peljesac Bridge
Transportation of steel foundation pipes for the Peljesac Bridge required transportation from Penglai, China to Croatia. The pipes were manufactured in China and delivered to the terminal in pieces. The assembling and welding toke place on the terminal right before they were loaded on the ship. These pipes form the strong foundation of the Peljesac Bridge and have a size between 120 and 128 meters long and a diameter of 2 meters, with a weight of 200-240 metric tons. The pipes were shipped in three shipment lots, around 57 pipes each.
Peru, a trip to the jungle
The Amazone river is only navigable two to three months a year, from January to March. The rest of the year, it is simply too shallow. The water drops seven meters! We arranged a booking from Turkey to Peru through this river. For almost seven days, the crew was in the middle of the jungle with no urbanization.
“The positive way of thinking is something you feel throughout the entire organization.”, Johan continues. “Both the communication between customers and between colleagues is so positive, warm, and friendly. We all like our job, and it is in our DNA to build strong relationships. Our Chartering team has capable, young, and talented people. I foresee a bright future and have strong faith in the company. After 17 years of working at Hudig & Veder, for me, it is almost time to retire. Working in the maritime sector and for this company really has been my greatest hobby.”
What will Johan do without this job to go to every day? Nothing to worry about, because he cannot wait to enjoy his retirement with his four children and two grandchildren, football, and the garden. Johans tells “More than enough plans to look forward to and not get bored. If I look back on these past years, the above-mentioned projects were truly remarkable. I will certainly remember them and our contribution to the transportation.
I look back on an amazing journey together with Hudig & Veder, my colleagues and valued customers. Exciting projects, trips on a snow scooter in Norway together with customers and the full transformation to digital processes. Just a few of the highlights I will never forget