Wim van der Valk retires management buyout of Dutch Shipyard

Having been at the helm of the shipyard that bears his name since its foundation in 1967, Wim van der Valk marked his 79th birthday on 18 April by officially confirming his retirement. A management buyout of Van der Valk’s shares in the yard has taken place, financially supported by a family of experienced yacht owners who have previously commissioned three custom superyachts from Van der Valk Shipyard; LeVen, EDGE and Lady Lene. With a full order book stretching well into 2026, including the largest superyacht built to date, confidence in the future is high
Van der Valk has firmly established itself in recent years as one of the only yards in the world with the capacity and flexibility to build all-custom superyachts up to 45 metres in length. It has over 9000 m² of state-of-the-art facilities at its location in Waalwijk (NL), opening its seventh construction hall last November. The management team of Enrico Theuns, Bram Kooltjes and Yoeri Bijker can leverage on decades of combined experience in the high-end yachting industry and will continue to enjoy the ongoing support of President Emeritus Wim van der Valk as an advisor to the board.

“The significant capital investment will enable Van der Valk to continue growing our unique niche in the market for bespoke yachts between 25 and 45 metres,” comments head of sales Yoeri Bijker. “The new primary shareholders fully understand our yard’s ethos having built several award-winning yachts with us and are committed to ensuring Van der Valk retains its Dutch structure, heritage and quality. We have a solid financial future as an independent entity with various options available for further expansion. Wim’s unrivalled legacy could not be in safer hands.”

Related News.
October 27, 2026
Beyond Compliance to Uninterrupted Operations: Delia Shipping’s Konstantinos Stais on Maritime Cyber Resilience, LEO Expansion, and AI Governance
As the global maritime industry navigates an era of intense digital acceleration, the traditional boundaries separating shipboard operational…
October 27, 2026
Chinese AI quietly writes hackable code for Beijing’s Adversaries, even when run locally, study finds
Qwen3-Coder wrote hackable apps 19% more often for US defense contractors and leaked data 28% more often for Hong Kong activists, AI security firm…
October 27, 2026
Industry leaders launch world’s first maritime-specific cyber vulnerabilities database
Cydome, ClassNK, Bureau Veritas, MTS-ISAC and Rakuten Maritime announce the “Blue Initiative”, an open collaboration to improve maritime cyber…
October 27, 2026
Businesses increasingly adopt AI for cybersecurity while individuals expand privacy protections
As cyber threats grow and digital technologies become more pervasive, businesses are increasingly using AI to strengthen…
October 27, 2026
EmissionLink calls for EU ETS revenues to fund maritime carbon capture trials and port infrastructure
Maritime emissions specialist, EmissionLink, has called for a dedicated proportion of EU Emissions Trading System (EU ETS) revenues to be invested…
October 27, 2026
Port of Antwerp-Bruges sees strong recovery in container throughput in volatile trading environment
In the first nine months of 2026, Port of Antwerp-Bruges handled 200.9 million tonnes of goods, 0.8% less than in the same period last year.…
October 27, 2026
Sanctions risks reshape commodity trading
Traders face sanctions challenge “odyssey” as geopolitical risks reformat global markets Commodity traders are operating in an increasingly…
October 27, 2026
Titan analysis shows FuelEU pooling propelled liquefied biomethane demand
- Clean fuel supplier evaluates compliance for 8,000 TEU containership operating in Northern Europe - FuelEU Maritime balances competitiveness…
October 27, 2026
Russian diesel tanker heads to New York as Kremlin claims regular shipments
Malta-flagged tanker should carry 40,000 mt fuel Agioi Fanendes left Primorsk Oct. 22: CAS US lifts sanctions, enables Russian imports……
October 27, 2026
Pilot transfer operation: A safer step aboard
Safe pilot transfer operations depend on both correct procedures and fit-for-purpose equipment. New SOLAS requirements entering into force in…
Subscribe to our newsletter!
if you dont want to swim alone in the ocean of news, sign up for the newsletter, and you will receive daily all the important news of world shipping!
Design & Development by P.KAN.DESIGNER
© 2026 Cyprus Shipping News. All rights reserved
Design & Development by P.KAN.DESIGNER
© 2026 Cyprus Shipping News. All rights reserved























