The towing industry is in mourning following the death last week of Mr Ton Kooren at the age of 89.
Best known as the founder of Dutch towage company Kotug, Ton was born into a towing family in the Netherlands and first went to sea aboard his uncle’s tug as a six-year-old when schools in the Netherlands were closed during the Second World War.
Entering the family business in the 1950s, Ton branched out into deep sea towage in the 1970s, but first gained widespread recognition in the 1980s when he acquired six Z-peller tugs from an American company that had gone bankrupt, and used them to challenge the virtual towing monopoly in the Port of Rotterdam. He called his company Kotug, and in the ensuing years he built it into one of the most recognizable brands in the industry.
This was, in no small part, due to his invention of the award-winning "rotortug" concept in 1999. While most of us were quite happy with two azimuthing units, he added a third in a move that has been described as redefining safety, manoeuvrability and efficiency.
The company continued to grow and in 2002, Ton handed over management to his son Ard-Jan, who had been at his side for several years and knew the business thoroughly.
Less well-known, perhaps, is the fact that he also established a charitable foundation, which is administered by his daughter Elzelien.
In 2023, Ton was given the prestigious Lifetime Achievement Award by International Tug and Salvage. At the time, he gave an in-depth interview to Riviera Maritime Media, in which he claimed to have no regrets because he had a happy family life and a happy career.
His advice to young people in towage was that they were entering a great and challenging industry, and with the right skills, they would have lots of opportunities worldwide. He knew, of course.
My own memories of Ton Kooren are of a man who was always approachable. Despite his lofty position in the industry, he loved to talk to anyone who wanted to ask him a question or seek his advice, and always greeted people with a smile.
When Arie Nygh and his friends were trying to set up a professional body for tug masters, they encountered a certain amount of resistance from parts of the industry (who possibly thought it would be some kind of trade union), but Ton saw the benefits immediately, and he supported the project.
Perhaps the folks at Kotug summed Ton up best when they described him as a true pioneer who, “transformed the world of towage through his relentless drive for innovation and excellence... [and] inspired generations of maritime professionals and set new global standards for innovation, safety and sustainability.”
I would only add that he did it with grace and good humour, and the world is a poorer place without him.
With my deepest condolences to his family and friends.
