Groningen Seaports names Jan Hein Meissner as harbour master

Groningen Seaports has appointed Jan Hein Meissner (53) as its new harbour master, choosing an internal successor to Pieter van der Wal, who has moved to a port-security advisory role. Meissner has worked at Groningen Seaports since 2002.

A former dredging captain who worked for Van Oord, AZC and HAM, Meissner joined the port as a vessel traffic controller and later became tide-window planner and Port Facility Security Officer, then Chief Information Security Officer, deputy harbour master and adviser before stepping up. He leads an 18-strong Nautical Service Centre covering both Delfzijl and the Eemshaven.

Meissner expects further growth, pointing to offshore expansion in the Eemshaven, a 12-year extension of LNG supply and a shift from coal toward biomass, alongside the strategic importance of Delfzijl's chemical cluster and the possible return of a ferry link to Norway.

Source: Schuttevaer (via Maasmond Maritime press clippings).