Royal Dirkzwager in Maassluis said farewell this spring to the Datadirk computer system, an IT platform with an extensive ship database that helped establish Dirkzwager as a major maritime service provider. Programmer and mathematician Robert Bokx, now 72 years old, designed the system and was responsible for its maintenance throughout the more than 38 years it was in use.
“Datadirk has been a common thread throughout my entire life,” says Bokx. “Of course, it is remarkable that the system functioned for so long, but it is good to say goodbye to it now. For the first time in all those years, I can switch off my phone at night. All that time I had to be available 24/7 in case there were issues with Datadirk. If my mobile phone battery ran low, I became slightly stressed because I always had to be reachable for Dirkzwager.”
No Wi-Fi
In all those years, Bokx was only called once for an emergency situation: during a cyberattack in 2023 that brought Dirkzwager’s Windows network to a standstill. Everything went down except Datadirk, which ran on Linux and remained unaffected.
“That was one of the very few times I was called,” he says. “I was on a boat at the time, travelling from New Zealand’s South Island to the North Island. My phone battery was almost empty and there was no Wi-Fi on board. As soon as we reached shore, we went straight to the hotel and I logged into the Datadirk system, which was still functioning properly. I was then able to provide all customer files and email addresses so everyone could be informed.”
Happy with the replacement
Datadirk continued running in parallel for some time alongside its replacement, Ship2Port, a new system also developed by Dirkzwager itself. At the end of March, Datadirk was finally shut down and Ship2Port officially went live. It is now active both at Dirkzwager’s headquarters in Maassluis and at the company’s office in Antwerp.
“I am genuinely very happy with the new system,” says Bokx. “Previously there was never a good alternative, and such a strong dependency on me as an individual is not ideal, of course. I had already been saying for quite some time that a replacement was needed.”
Dirkzwager’s office in the 1980s. Photo: Royal Dirkzwager Archives
The retirement of Datadirk does not mean that Bokx has stopped working. Quite the opposite: the rise of new technologies and the rapid developments in Artificial Intelligence still keep him busy and make him curious about all the new possibilities, he says.
“For the first time in years, I now switch off my phone at night.”
“When the fourth-generation programming language Unify/Accel emerged in the late 1980s, I thought: this is going to change our lives. We started using it for Datadirk as well, and it went live in 1987. We were able to build new applications much faster, whereas before that the process was very labour-intensive, and it also provided a better user interface.”
“We are now experiencing a similar breakthrough with the rise of AI. I find it incredibly exciting and fascinating to witness this AI revolution; everything is accelerating because of it. My son is co-founder of a company that uses AI for legal services. I work closely with them. They appreciate the many years of experience I bring, and I’m happy to be working on something new again. It keeps you sharp.”
Incidentally, Bokx was only officially employed by Dirkzwager for one year during all those years: in 1996, when the Datadirk system had to be installed in Hamburg, Jakarta, Vietnam, and six ports in South Africa. “Yes, those were great projects.”
While continuing his long-term relationship with Dirkzwager as an independent contractor, Bokx also built his own IT consultancy companies, Integrity and Conclusion, both of which he eventually sold. Conclusion, the last company he sold in 2006, now employs 3,800 people.
Binoculars
In reality, the architecture of Datadirk did not change all that much over the years, although it was expanded and improved. By the late 1980s, Dirkzwager had become one of the key links in monitoring ship arrivals. Previously, incoming and departing ships at Hoek van Holland were tracked using binoculars, but this gradually gave way to automated systems and integrations between radar systems, telex networks, and databases.
“Datadirk was far ahead of its time. Through smart integrations and real-time data, Dirkzwager was able to deliver tailor-made services to its customers, and there was strong interest in this from the very beginning. Salvage companies, towing and pilot services, shipowners, and shipping agencies all found it valuable. There are still many opportunities in customised solutions, especially with developments in AI.”
Dirkzwager now uses the new Ship2Port system. Photo: Dennis Wisse
Ship2Port replaces Datadirk
After nearly forty years, Royal Dirkzwager’s new digital platform, Ship2Port, has replaced the long-serving Datadirk system. The core principles of the new platform have changed little: it is designed to provide everything needed to monitor maritime activities in real time, supplemented with up-to-date port data, sailing schedules, and berth information.
The system is also integrated with port community systems and the Automatic Identification System (AIS), which automatically identifies and tracks vessels worldwide through VHF radio signals. This allows international vessel movements to be monitored closely: from estimated arrival times to port calls, departure times, berth allocations, routes sailed, and final destinations, as well as vessel type and ownership information. Based on all this data and traffic information, planning becomes easier and adjustments can be made quickly when changes occur.
The system also includes a comprehensive database of vessel information, such as ownership and management details, as well as technical specifications including dimensions, engine type, and capacity.
First come, first served
In addition to being faster and more advanced, the new system also creates more opportunities for Dirkzwager through the use of AI, as well as specialised applications and customised solutions.
Dirkzwager is also participating in the so-called MISSION project (Maritime Just In Time Optimisation), which aims to reduce emissions from ships. Port calls are often managed according to the first come, first served principle, which frequently leads to waiting times, unnecessary fuel consumption, and additional emissions.
Through MISSION, port visits are coordinated just in time using digital planning and coordination tools, helping to minimise both emissions and waiting times.