Alewijnse expects ‘huge innovation boost’ thanks to Oceanco Group
Alewijnse CEO Gert Bravenboer expects a 'huge innovation boost' now that his company has been acquired by the Oceanco Group. The new CEO of that Oceanco Group, gaming billionaire Gabe Newell, is the driving force behind the acquisition.
Alewijnse will not become an in-house supplier for Oceanco, says Bravenboer.
“Structurally, nothing changes,” clarifies Bravenboer, who has been Alewijnse’s CEO since 2020. The fact that Alewijnse is now part of the Oceanco Group, which also includes the superyacht builder itself, does not mean that Alewijnse will now serve as Oceanco’s internal technology supplier. “We are now a sister company of Oceanco, but that doesn’t mean we only work for Oceanco,” Bravenboer explains. “We will continue to supply technology and automation to the entire maritime sector.”
Alewijnse also has no exclusivity contract with Oceanco. “Our competitors will also continue to supply Oceanco.” Since the 1990s, Alewijnse has been providing technology and automation to Oceanco’s superyachts.
Gaming pioneer
Alewijnse is part of the Oceanco Group, which Gabe Newell recently took charge of. Newell is internationally known as a pioneer in the gaming industry and founded the game platform Steam with his company. His fortune was estimated at over €9.5 billion in 2024. He himself once purchased an Oceanco yacht.
Oceanco described Newell as a hands-on visionary when announcing the news. And that proves true: less than three weeks after the announcement, Newell made his first big move.
For Alewijnse, the acquisition offers opportunities in the form of strategic partnerships. Such collaboration is urgently needed, stresses Bravenboer. “I am proud that such a tech giant is interested in the Dutch maritime manufacturing industry. But that’s not without reason. In the Netherlands, we are a global player in this field. The complex ships that Oceanco, Damen, or Royal de Vries build are truly of Olympic level.” And the demand for complex ships—such as large dredgers, superyachts, and defense vessels—is high, Bravenboer notes. He points to a report from The Hague Centre of Scientific Studies, which shows that the maritime sector is crucial.
Innovation in yacht building
Alewijnse is now explicitly seeking that cooperation with Oceanco. “Innovation in yacht building also trickles into other areas of the maritime sector.” Bravenboer therefore expects a “huge innovation boost” from the acquisition. He sees in Newell someone who pushes innovation at high speed. “He’s really moving with seven-league boots.”
Alewijnse supplies technology for these complex ships. On board, technology and automation are playing an increasingly prominent role. “Demand is high,” Bravenboer observes. Newell is not the only one recognizing the importance of the Dutch maritime manufacturing industry—The Hague also seems to have realised this. “Over the past twenty years, that was not the case, and we only just reached critical mass. It couldn’t have gone on like that for another ten years.” But with the Maritime Manufacturing Industry sector agenda and the National Maritime Coordination Office, the government is now giving the sector a push.
A glance at craftsmanship
That does not mean Dutch shipbuilding is out of the woods yet, the CEO emphasizes. “We can’t just open a can of craftsmanship tomorrow to meet that growing demand. We will need to collaborate more and in different ways. The entire ecosystem must be expanded. We need to move away from the traditional transactional mindset and towards strategic partnerships. In the Netherlands, the focus must be on these complex ships. That’s where we can truly make a difference.”
On the picture: Gert Bravenboer, CEO Alewijnse
Source: Schuttevaer, author Jelmer Bastiaans
