In 2001, after a varied seagoing career culminating in the rank of Staff Captain (Chief Officer) on the cruise ships of Holland America Lines, Hans began the development of a Safety Management System under the then still very new ISM Code for a shipping company owning and operating a fleet of short sea multi-purpose cargo vessels. Moving from cargo ships to superyachts in 2007 when he joined a leading yacht management company, Hans has been involved with the management of large yachts ever since. Hans successfully attained accreditation for Passenger Yacht Operation for one of the first superyachts to ever apply for this status, when the original Passenger Yacht code was introduced.
Having worked with a variety of Flag Administrations, Classification Societies, marine insurance firms, yacht repair and construction yards, naval architects, recruitment agencies, legal firms and all manner of service suppliers, Hans is well placed to assist owners, captains and crew with all manner of technical and compliance matters arising as part of the day to day running of their yachts.
A number of hobbies occupy Hans’ time when not looking after the yachts: As a “lefty” bedroom guitarist, he collects (and plays) nice left-handed acoustic guitars, plays some tennis occasionally, reads a book from time to time, and whenever there is an opportunity (not all that often these days) , he likes to go out on the water for some small boat sailing on the Solent which is right on the doorstep of his home on the Isle of Wight.