Royal Dirkzwager monitors a growing number of offshore installations—such as oil and gas platforms and wind farms—from a 24/7 manned control room in Maassluis. “The North Sea is no longer an empty expanse,” says Blaas. “Shipping, fishing, recreation, and large-scale energy projects are all competing for the same space. The risk of incidents is increasing, and we need to stay ahead of that.”

According to Blaas, it’s not just large sea-going vessels that pose a threat. “Even a sailing yacht can cause significant damage. If such a boat gets into trouble in a wind farm, rescue operations become extremely dangerous. Helicopters can barely fly between the turbines, and deploying rescue boats is complex. In practice, entire wind farms sometimes have to be shut down, with massive economic consequences.”

Royal Dirkzwager keeps “an extra eye on things” using radar and AIS, as Blaas puts it. “If we see a vessel heading towards a platform or wind farm, we immediately make contact via VHF. Prevention is everything.”

Participation in the Vuurschepenrace has symbolic value, according to Blaas. “We are part of it—literally and figuratively. Our team in Maassluis is standing by to safely guide the sixty participating boats. It’s a beautiful sailing event, but safety comes first.”

The Stella 17 is a 14-meter racing yacht built for offshore performance. The team consists of experienced sailors, including family members of the skipper and well-known names from the racing circuit. The starting signal for the Vuurschepenrace will sound tomorrow morning off the coast of Scheveningen.