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A chronicle of the Sea Ranger Service

Timeline

2016

April – Being awarded the Future for Nature award in 2016 for his innovative approach to ocean conservation, Wietse van der Werf uses the 50.000 euro award money to set up the Sea Ranger Service.

 

 

August – The Mayor of Rotterdam, Ahmed Aboutaleb, officially launches the Sea Ranger Service in August 2016 together with the CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, Allard Castelein.

 

 

2017

February – Work start on the first vessel to be constructed by the Sea Ranger Service: a 28.5 tonne steel-hulled sailing work vessel.

 

 

 

June – A crowdfunding campaign aimed at raising an initial 250.000 euro strengthens the organisation in an early stage.

 

 

 

October – Offered 15 minutes for a presentation on the Sea Ranger Service approach during the plenary session at the Our Oceans conference raises the profile of the organisation considerably.

 

 

2018

March – When the first Sea Ranger Bootcamp was organised in 2018, a total of 47 participants joined for an intensive 5- week outdoor programme, led by former marines and navy veterans.

 

 

May – The first 12 Sea Rangers are selected and undergo additional training.

 

 

October – While awaiting the completion of the new Sea Ranger vessel, work at sea starts with a smaller, alternative vessel weighing 12 tonnes.

 

 

December – The first government contract is signed, referred to as the Green Deal Sea Ranger Service and co-signed by four Dutch government ministers.

 

 

2019

April – The Sea Ranger Service reaches a target of 1.5 million euro fundraised for its innovation development and programme implementation.

 

 

May – The Sea Ranger Service monitors protected shipwreck locations in the North Sea, registering over 3.751 observations, including digitally through satellite tracking.

 

 

September – Sea Rangers take 99 samples of plastics pollution in the North Sea for research institute NIOZ, researching the effects of climate change on plastics pollution.

 

 

2020

May – In collaboration with OceanMind, a total of 4.345 digital and physical observations are made during patrols to monitor protected areas in the North Sea.

 

 

 

August – Four Sea Rangers are trained as certified drone pilots, to inspect cargo ships out of the Port of Rotterdam is launched in partnership with the Dutch government maritime safety agency ILT and expanded to continue in 2021.

 


2021 

April – Carrying out sampling of chlorophyll to research changes in the ocean’s nutrient level due to climate change and pollution, Sea Rangers store samples in special freezers onboard the vessel at -80°C.

 

 

May – Virginijus Sinkevičius, EU Commissioner for Environment, Oceans and Fisheries visits the Sea Ranger Service ship and voices support for the entrepreneurial approach of the company.

 

 

2022

March – Eight new Sea Rangers are selected and trained for full-time employment on board the Sea Ranger Service vessel.

 

 

 

March – Chief Development Officer Effie Baert announces the launch of the Sea Ranger Academy: a new franchising programme to recruit and train entrepreneurs as franchisees to replicate the Sea Ranger Service model.

 

 

April – The Sea Ranger Service is assigned by the Dutch Environment Ministry to monitor Marine Protected Areas in the North Sea.

 

 

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