Second Take Care Award of 2026 presented to Hakkers crew

Together with Hakkers Waterbouw, Ballast Nedam Infra is constructing a major marine jetty at the mouth of the River Elbe for the new LNG terminal in Brunsbüttel, Germany. Jos de Jong recalls the incident that took place there earlier this spring. "We were moored alongside the crane vessel IBIS. A new colleague had joined the crew that Monday. We had introduced ourselves and spent the evening playing cards together. But very early on Tuesday morning, the new colleague suddenly developed serious health problems." The symptoms were so severe that it appeared he was either suffering, or about to suffer, a heart attack. The crew of the IBIS immediately raised the alarm with the crew of the MS Adriaan.

Fortunately, the incident ended well in every respect. The colleague was taken to hospital and, after several hours of medical examinations, it turned out that the symptoms had been caused by a severely strained muscle rather than a heart condition. “That was a huge relief,” says Jos. How did he experience the incident? “Naturally, it was a tense situation and not something you ever want to go through. But as a team, we responded effectively. The key is to stay calm and make sure everyone has a clear role. We also learned a great deal from the experience. Together with the Ballast Nedam-Hakkers project team, we evaluated the situation afterwards. Everything that did not work as it should have has now been improved. We now have a man-overboard (MOB) boat that is suitable for medical evacuations, a Starlink connection that ensures reliable phone coverage via Wi-Fi, and we have coordinated procedures with the emergency services. In addition, a helicopter is now included in the contingency measures as a backup option.” Is Jos pleased to have received the Take Care Award? “I appreciate the recognition it represents. And I hope others can learn from our experience. The main lesson? Make sure you have a robust rescue plan in place and practise it regularly.”

The Take Care Award jury (HSE Director Geert van der Linde and the members of the Works Council’s VGWM Committee) selects a winner four times a year from the nominations submitted in the preceding quarter. The winning nomination receives €500,- to arrange a treat for the colleagues involved, do something enjoyable together, or donate the amount to a good cause.