Sam Mills, Ian Pilkington & Joep Groot
In January, Ian Pilkington and I travelled to Rotterdam to spend time with our COO, Joep Groot, and the wider innovation community around the RDM Rotterdam campus. It was a valuable opportunity to step out of our usual routines and, as relative newcomers to the Grafmarine team, learn more about how our technical and operational plans are shaping up.
Our Dutch office is located within the RDM innovation ecosystem, and our visit really highlighted the benefits of being part of such a community. We saw firsthand how the proximity to other startups and innovation-driven companies naturally encourages informal collaboration and idea-sharing, as well as early exposure to new technologies and approaches. Even during our short visit, we found ourselves theorycrafting how some of the technologies being developed around us could, in time, support and enhance our own products and future solutions.
We also held an internal planning session focused on deck mounting operations. The discussion covered early-stage considerations such as logistics, installation methods, and training requirements. Importantly, it helped us consider key risks, potential mitigation strategies, and opportunities as we move towards scaling operations.
From planning to practice
Speaking of deck mounting operations, another highlight of the visit was the conclusion of a robotics project with four students from De Haagse Hogeschool / The Hague University of Applied Sciences. One of our biggest practical challenges is the accurate installation of deck mounts on hatch covers at scale. Over the course of two months, Joep and I worked with the students on a challenging project to determine whether robotics could play a role in making the process faster and more precise.
During their final presentation, which took place while we were in Rotterdam, the students demonstrated that using a robotic system to install deck mounts at scale is possible and feasible. Their robot attracted attention from other companies at RDM, sparking conversations around automation and scalability in the maritime sector. It was encouraging to see how a relatively short but focused collaboration can generate ideas with real potential.
On a more personal note
” On a more personal note, the daily commute to the RDM facility via Rotterdam’s water taxis was a memorable part of the trip. One evening, we were “treated” to the high-speed version, which resembled a speedboat! Hitting the wake of a larger vessel caused the boat to briefly lift out of the water – an unexpected experience I won’t forget! ” Sam Mills.
