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On Friday 2 September the Mayor of Rotterdam Ahmed Aboutaleb and CEO of the Port of Rotterdam, Allard Castelein, launched the Sea Ranger Service as the world's first global maritime ranger service.
Starting next summer it will train unemployed youth as Sea Rangers. Navy veterans will train the Sea Rangers to assist nations in the management of their Marine Protected Areas.
The Sea Ranger Service is an international initiative to offer much needed capacity to manage the world's oceans, while tackling youth unemployment and reintegrating navy veterans simultaneously.
What makes the Sea Ranger Service unique is its multi-disciplinary approach and the fact that it carries out monitoring and regeneration of the marine environment as a social enterprise, under contracts for governments and made possible thanks to social impact investments.
" If only I was younger, I would give it my all to become a Sea Ranger. Seems like a dream job. " - Ahmed Aboutaleb, Mayor of Rotterdam
Protection of the world's oceans is necessary to ensure food security for developing nations and conservation of precious marine ecosystems. Overfishing, illegal fishing, (plastics) pollution and biodiversity loss are global problems requiring ambitious yet concrete solutions.
The Sea Ranger Service's first expedition vessel was presented by the Mayor of Rotterdam on 2 September. Construction of vessel will be finalised in 2017 at a new shipyard named the Dry Dock, which in itself is a groundbreaking real estate development that will be realised in the M4H innovation district in the Port of Rotterdam over the next six months.
" With the Sea Rangers we offer youth and veterans new opportunities while working towards healthy seas. A win-win-win." - Wietse van der Werf, initiator
With the launch of the Sea Ranger Service, the city of Rotterdam continues to be at the forefront of social innovation. The Port of Rotterdam has embraced the new initiative with over 30 maritime, construction and media companies making the work of the Sea Ranger Service possible. For more information about the Sea Ranger Service, please visit searangers.org
The Sea Ranger Service is located in Merwe-Vierhaven (M4H), part of the Rotterdam Innovation Districts. The district used to be the biggest port of call for fruit exports and imports, and is now the new breeding ground for innovative and creative entrepreneurship. Daan Roosegaarde, inventor and artist of the year 2016 made the move to the area. Erasmus University Rotterdam and Erasmus MC are also strongly represented here, with a medical incubator and the campus of the Erasmus Centre for Entrepreneurship where 64 rapidly growing companies are located.
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