We are proud to announce that our college Paul Hugenholtz has been nominated for Young Port Talent 2023. As Young Port Talent, Paul wants to show young professionals that Rotterdam is the Silicon Valley of Logistics. We spoke to Paul and asked him about his ambitions and vision for the port of Rotterdam.
Paul started working full-time at UTURN a year and a half ago as a Sales Executive, therefor he did an internship at UTURN and worked part-time as a side job. From the head office in Rotterdam, he was connecting shippers and container carriers to the UTURN platform daily.
Rotterdam: Silicon Valley of logistics
“I want to show young professionals that the port of Rotterdam is much more than just lashing loads or bringing in boats. In Rotterdam, we have more than 1600 start-ups and scale-ups, many of which are technological, that are eager to bring in young talent,” explains Paul.
Paul knows better than anyone that technology in ports is becoming increasingly important. “Data and digitization already play a very important role in the port of Rotterdam, something that many young professionals forget. In Rotterdam, we are ahead of many other ports in terms of technology, but we need to try to keep it that way.”
Data and digitization for a sustainable sector
Paul is working with data and digitization every day at UTURN, and sees the benefits of this in practice. “Every day I speak to several shippers who are using the UTURN platform. By using data and digitization we bring together the supply and demand of container transport, but it goes much further than that. Shippers come into contact with other carriers via the platform than with whom they normally work. This results in fewer empty kilometres. Because of the plans to reduce Co2 emissions for the sector, the platform is of course not only the right choice to solve your capacity problem as a shipper, but it also contributes to a more sustainable sector.”
Vote on Paul for Young Haven talent 2023
Every year, the Young Port Association looks for a new Young Port talent who will become an ambassador for the port of Rotterdam and Rotterdam City in the upcoming year. Do you want to vote for Paul? You can do that via this link. On December 21, during Port Day, it will be announced who may call themselves Young Port Talent of 2023.
