For Ruben van Weers (25), his career in the maritime supply chain began with a healthy dose of curiosity. After studying Economics and Accounting & Finance, he decided to take the leap into consultancy and logistics. “I took a career aptitude test, which clearly pointed me in two directions: supply chain and consultancy. When I then looked up ‘maritime consultancy,’ Venturn was at the top of the list.”
Since then, Ruben has been part of the Venturn Young Professionals program and is currently working on his first assignment at Rotterdam Short Sea Terminals (RST).
A Versatile Role at RST
RST is a shortsea terminal in the Port of Rotterdam where ships to and from European ports are handled. The terminal offers a unique combination of transport via truck, rail, and inland shipping. Within this dynamic environment, Ruben plays a versatile role. He is involved in operations, participates in process improvement initiatives, and provides advice on structural optimizations.
“My position is actually twofold,” Ruben explains. “On the one hand, I actively help with operations to reduce the workload. On the other hand, I take a fresh look at existing processes and come up with concrete ideas for improvement. That way, I contribute in the short term and work on sustainable solutions for the long term.”
From Depot to Dispatch
Ruben started at RST as a Depot and M&R Coordinator. “I took over all communication for Depot and M&R departments, both internally and with our customers and partners,” he says. He soon became involved with the Dispatch department. “When several team members left, there was suddenly a shortage of staff. For me, it was a great opportunity to dive even deeper into operations and gain as much hands-on experience as possible.”
In addition to internal improvements, Ruben actively seeks collaboration with external partners, including Kramer, Q-Terminals, and Samskip. “I regularly discuss with them where things can be improved and how we can tackle this together. Sometimes the solution lies in small things, such as clearer communication or better planning. Yet even those small adjustments can make a big difference.”
Learning by Doing
For Ruben, this first assignment is above all a learning experience. “I have an academic background, but here I am really learning how a terminal operates, how much coordination is required and how many decisions are made in one single day. You only experience that when you are right in the tick of it.”
Working in operations helps him better understand the processes, while at the same time he applies his analytical skills to implement improvements. For example, he has developed several tools to make data more transparent and support decision-making. “I enjoy creating something that makes my colleagues’ work easier and then work together to see how we can improve it further. That gives me a lot of energy.”
The Power of Collaboration
In his work, Ruben has noticed how important good communication and stakeholder management are. “I am good at one-on-one communication, but I am learning more about involving multiple parties in a change process. How do you align different interests and how do you gain support for an idea? Those are skills I want to keep developing in the coming period.”
Despite the busy environment at the terminal, Ruben experiences the work atmosphere as positive. “The people at RST are open, down-to-earth, and have a lot of expertise. There is room to ask questions and share ideas. It feels like an environment where you can learn quickly and truly make a contribution.”
Looking to the future
As Ruben continues his assignment, he is already looking toward the future. His goal is to contribute to structural improvements within RST while further developing his own professional skills. “I want my work to genuinely ease the operational workload, make processes run more smoothly, and improve collaboration. On a personal level, I want to grow in strategic thinking. I want to understand how operations, data, and long-term vision come together.”
Although his background is not directly related to the maritime sector, Ruben now feels completely at home in the industry. “It’s a challenging environment with a lot of dynamics. Every day is different, and that is exactly what makes it so interesting.”
About the VYP traineeship
The Venturn Young Professionals (VYP) traineeship offers young talents the opportunity to develop within the maritime and logistics sector. In addition to challenging assignments at leading organizations, trainees follow a two-year development program full of training, coaching, and practical learning experiences. This enables them to grow into the leaders of the future in the maritime supply chain.
