In March, Thomas Versteegen (Director Asset Management & Projects) and Maarten de Looij (HSEQ Director) started at Liquin. Two heavyweights with strong track records who bring their own expertise with them. Time to get to know them better. We presented them with four statements about technology, safety and the sector’s future. What drives them, what are their challenges, and how do they see their roles in a changing industry?
1. “Technology is people-focused.”
Maarten: “Without people there’s no technology. Whether it concerns design, operation or maintenance, behind every installation there are people. Automation is increasing, but operators’ and engineers’ skill remains critical for safety and quality. If people don’t understand how something works, we can’t correct malfunctions. For me, that’s basic.”
Thomas: “I agree. For me, technology is about connection and consultation. We work in a complex, hazardous environment. Port of Rotterdam is perhaps the most dangerous place in the Netherlands. So it’s essential to find solutions together. Not blindly following rules, but daring to ask: Is this really the best solution? Technology requires human insight and courage.”
2. “Safety doesn’t begin with rules, but with trust.”
Thomas: “Safety isn’t the sum total of rules. It begins with people who dare to think, ask questions and suggest alternatives. I encourage my team to look at solutions not through the lens of rules, but through their own eyes. That requires trust on both sides. At the same time, I want to keep assessing designs myself, in order to initiate discussion and create room for innovation and creation.”
Maarten: “You don’t run a 24-hour company without trust. Our operators really know what they’re doing. They’re professionals. You see that in our programme ‘Trust & Verify’. We go through processes with colleagues, supervisors and management on the work floor. We ask questions and discuss matters. Rules are necessary, especially in an environment with toxic and flammable materials. But they’re there as support. Safety grows through dialogue, ownership and mutual trust.”
3. “New technology is the only way to achieve sustainable growth.”
Maarten: “That depends on how you define ‘growth’. Are you talking about increasing tanks, transport or turnover? Or cleaner air and reduced emissions? In all cases, technology is essential. We simply can’t meet emission standards without technological innovation. Combustion of emissions isn’t the future. We have to explore technologies that purify emissions without releasing CO₂. And at the moment, there are hardly any.”
Thomas: “New technology is indispensable, but we’re reaching our limits. I’m thinking about nitrogen regulations and net congestion. At the same time, there are opportunities. With each project, we explore how we can build as energy-efficiently as possible. For example, AI could help us to better predict and reduce emissions. In my opinion, Liquin must continue to stand out through smart solutions, both physical and digital.”
4. “A terminal is never finished.”
Thomas: “I agree 100%. Our terminals were built in the 1960s. That requires continuous renewal. Physically and in processes. We consciously invest in replacement and optimisation. Consider uptime, emission reduction and predictability. I also see building not just in terms of concrete and steel, but also as investing in teams and new ways of working. We’re not corporate anymore. It’s time for entrepreneurship.”
Maarten: “The world is constantly changing and we have to keep pace. Insights into risks and environmental impact are evolving, and so our way of working is too. For me, building also means investing in culture, in people, in safety. Continuous improvement isn’t a project but an attitude. Everything that gets attention, grows. And that applies to a terminal as well.”
Finally: Liquin’s future in three words
Thomas: “Bigger, safer, nicer. Bigger in potential, safer in execution, and nicer because we want to enjoy working together even more. I believe in trust, entrepreneurship and the joy of making things better together.”
Maarten: “Continuous improvement, passion and good neighbourliness. These three words summarise everything for me: continuous development, working with enthusiasm and being rooted in our surroundings. As an industry, we bear responsibility – not just in the harbour, but also beyond.”
Two go-getters for the Liquin of tomorrow
With a fresh eye, years of experience and a hands-on mindset, Maarten and Thomas bring exactly what Liquin needs in this new phase. Two go-getters who not only dare to look critically at how things are going now, but also help build the Liquin of the future. A young company with a rich history, firmly rooted in the industry, ready for a modern course.
