Alphatron Marine saw the light of day in September 1991. Over the past thirty years, the innovative company in the field of maritime electronics has grown into a global player with 450 employees and head offices in Rotterdam, Tokyo, Singapore and Houston. Inland shipping has always had a special place within Alphatron Marine.
“The inland shipping customer is a completely different customer than the seagoing customer,” said Peter van Veen, the General Manager - Inland Shipping at Alphatron Marine and a child of inland shipping skippers.
Peter van Veen adds, “In inland shipping, you often deal directly with the owner on board. When you do it right, it goes around quickly. But also if you don't do it right, because everyone knows each other and talks to each other. The bottom line is: don't sell nonsense. Do what you agree and make it happen.”
First colour radar - JMA-608
In the 29 years that Peter van Veen has been working at Alphatron Marine, he has experienced a lot, when it comes to innovations. He said, “For example, I remember well that in 1998, we introduced the river radar JMA-608 that was made at JRC in Japan. It was the first colour radar for inland shipping!”
Peter van Veen adds, “Most nautical radars at that time already had a colour screen, but with the high demands placed on river radars, it had not been possible to find suitable picture tubes, until that time. Our introduction of the JMA-608 was an instant hit. We received praising reviews, but the 'Course on Colour' advertising campaign was also a hit!”
Alpha Bridge Inland
Alphatron Marine has proven to be a major supplier for inland shipping in the Netherlands and beyond
“And how about the AlphaBridge Inland, introduced in 2018?” Peter van Veen tells with pride about a much more recent innovation, adding “With this bridge, the control panels can be electronically shifted to a lower level, if the wheelhouse has to be lowered, due to the low bridges on European waters. In just 15 seconds, the panels are down, so the captain never loses full control.”
Over the years, Alphatron Marine has proven to be a major supplier for inland shipping in the Netherlands and beyond. According to Peter van Veen, this success is not only due to the successive innovations.
Listening to the customer
He states, “There is something that precedes this. Listening to the customer has been Alphatron Marine's creed for three decades. After all, every ship is different, and so are the owners, operators and shipyards. Ultimately, it is about personal contact. After all, if you have a request or a problem, you need to know who to turn to; have confidence that it will be taken care of. That is where the challenge lies.”
