Thecla Bodewes Shipyards celebrated its 100th anniversary on June 20 as an independent Dutch family-owned shipyard. During a festive event at the company’s headquarters in Kampen, a historic milestone announced: the shipyard may now officially carry the honorary title ‘Royal’.
On behalf of the King, the King’s Commissioner for the province of Overijssel, Andries Heidema, presented the honor to this family company.
To mark the occasion, CEO Thecla Bodewes unveiled the company’s new name: Thecla Bodewes Shipyards becomes Royal T Shipyards.
“The ‘T’ in our new name connects past and future – and it stands for more than just Thecla,” the chief executive officer Thecla Bodewes explains. “It stands for Team – the people who make this company strong. For Tomorrow – our constant drive to move forward. For Together – because collaboration is our greatest strength. And for Trust and Tradition – the foundation of our craftsmanship. Royal T Shipyards is more than a name. It’s our promise to the future.”
What began in 1812 as Scheepswerven Gebroeders G. & H. Bodewes in Martenshoek evolved into a family-owned enterprise in Dutch shipbuilding.
A turning point came 100 years ago, when the two branches of the Bodewes family set out on their own course and one branch established an independent yard in Hasselt – the foundation of the company as it exists today.
Now, the seventh generation – the CEO Thecla Bodewes – is at the helm.
Royal T Shipyards, founded by Bodewes and headquartered in Kampen, the Netherlands, today operates from four strategic locations in the Netherlands and it delivers tailormade solutions for inland shipping, short-sea operations, pushers and the dredging sector.
