RDM Rotterdam
A Jack-of-All-Trades
After completing his offshore engineering studies at TU Delft and an internship at Ocean Cleanup working on unmanned collection systems, Bram started a company in Data Analytics. However, his passion for hardware remained strong, leading him to establish Radical Builders two years ago. This idea emerged from closely listening to market demand: "The first boat was almost sold before my Chamber of Commerce registration was finalized."
UNMANNED VESSELS
Radical Builders designs innovative unmanned vessels tailored for efficiency and functionality. "In our approach, we throw the entire philosophy of ship design overboard and essentially create large floating robots that can perform their tasks as efficiently as possible." They look at the big picture of innovative shipbuilding. Instead of modifying existing ships, they create a new, standardized design. This design eliminates all unnecessary elements, such as cabins and wheelhouses, resulting in a more compact and lighter vessel. They then add optimized modules to meet specific customer needs. "We are currently building our first boat, which will be used for seaweed harvesting. Therefore, we are adding a cutting system, conveyor belt, and storage to this vessel."
Radical Builders' vessels are designed for energy efficiency and functionality to operate sustainably. "There is no crew that needs to rest on board, which of course saves costs and space. For example, for small inland vessels, this increases the load capacity by up to 30%. Our vessels can also sail a pre-programmed route or be manually controlled remotely." So far, current regulations have been the main obstacle for Radical Builders, but these may be favorably adjusted in 2025. A new exemption will make it possible for the first time to sail unmanned vessels up to 20 meters / 100 tons with remote control from a control center.
RDM: THE PERFECT BREEDING GROUND
For the startup, the Innovation Dock at RDM is the ideal home base. "RDM is the perfect combination of network, safety, and flexibility for us," Bram explains enthusiastically. "We have the physical space here to experiment and produce, which is essential for a company that builds innovative products. At the same time, RDM offers the flexibility that a startup needs. We can adjust our space to our needs - if we are between projects, we can move to a smaller plot. This dynamic environment allows us to work efficiently and switch quickly, exactly what we need at this stage of our company."
BUILDING THE FUTURE, LITERALLY
Bram has a clear and ambitious vision for the future of Radical Builders. "My goal is to produce one ship per week by 2030," he says determinedly. To achieve this, he focuses on entering specific markets, especially in the security and defense sectors, where the demand for unmanned vessels is greatest. "Due to changing laws and regulations, we are now in the right place in the wave of development and market adoption," he adds.
Bram also sees the possibility of applying Radical Builders' innovative designs to a broader range of ship markets. "The entire new-build ship market can benefit from our radically different approach to shipbuilding," he explains. In the long term, he hopes that Radical Builders will grow into a leading player in the global shipbuilding industry. "The dreams are big, but the possibilities are also enormous," he concludes with a smile.
Photography: Eric Fecken
