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Vincent and Pierre Durot are two brothers at the helm of Antwerp-based shipping company Boeckmans. They are the fourth generation in this family business that was founded in 1935, and has grown into one of the largest independent shipping agencies in the Benelux, with offices in Antwerp and Rotterdam. While this is still the core business of the company, its activities have expanded over the years: they have purchased their own ships and now offer an A to Z service. SeaTalk met with Pierre (40), the youngest of the two managers. He talks about his passion for the maritime business and the challenges he faces as an entrepreneur.

Helga Van Noten used to stay regularly with her grandparents, in a flat on the Scheldt quays. The ships stirred the little girl’s curiosity. What is their destination, who are the people on board…? No one in her family was active in the maritime sector, so she lacked a stepping stone to enter this world.

SeaTalk visited Wilfried Lemmens, director of the Royal Belgian Shipowners’ Association (KBRV – Koninklijke Belgische Redersvereniging), just as Putin invaded Ukraine. Because so many Ukrainians work on board Belgian ships, the phone was ringing off the hook. In these dramatic moments, we managed to slip in for an interview.

After months of being trapped at sea due to the pandemic, the current war in Ukraine is holding hundreds of thousands of seafarers hostage from the global merchant fleet. There are indeed many seafarers of both Ukrainian and Russian nationalities working on board ships. Many Ukrainian seafarers yearn to go home whilst the sanctions are making it harder to sign on Russian seafarers.

According to the annual piracy report published recently by the ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), piracy and armed robbery at sea last year has reached an all-time low since 1994. But the threat remains.

Following the inoculation of foreign and Belgian seafarers since June, Belgium is once again spearheading a booster vaccine campaign for these maritime workers starting 7 December.

Piracy and armed robbery in the Gulf of Guinea have reached alarming levels. It is high time European policy makers improve the situation for vessels and crew operating in this area through a number of methods. The poor security situation is jeopardising trade and development in the region and globally.

The Hydroville is a showcase for the use of clean fuels, contributes to sustainable commuting and is a first step towards the development of larger scale hydrogen applications