Veerhaven

What Veerhaven does

Veerhaven Rotterdam is a historic yacht harbor located in the Scheepvaartkwartier (Shipping Quarter) of Rotterdam, Netherlands, operating on the Nieuwe Maas river with direct, unobstructed access from the sea (no bridges or locks between the harbor and open water). The marina is operated by Stichting Veerhaven Rotterdam, a Dutch non-profit foundation (Stichting) established in 1990 under a heritage-preservation mandate. The site's history traces to a 15th-century ferry service, with the current basin dug between 1852 and 1854 as part of Rotterdam's first planned urban expansion outside the city walls. The foundation is governed by a six-member board (Chair Jop Dutilh, Secretary Floris van Westrhenen, Treasurer Freek-Jan Melse, Harbor Commissioner Anneke Vlieger, and board members Maurits van der Giessen and Felix Moonen) and operates with seasonal harbor master staffing.

Veerhaven offers four core service lines. Transient berth fees (passanten) are charged at €3 per meter of vessel length per day for visiting yachts and sailing ships, year-round, with berth assignments handled by the harbor master upon arrival. Permanent berths (vaste liggers) are reserved exclusively for seagoing sailing vessels with historical character, with each application reviewed individually by the board for fit with the harbor's image. Winter storage is offered from October 1 to April 1 for both classic and modern yachts, with community activities including the Lichtjesfeest (Festival of Lights) and New Year celebration. The marina also generates ancillary revenue from meeting room rentals at Bureau Veerhaven (a floating former River Police office dating to c. 1910, acquired by the foundation in 1996 for a symbolic sum) at €200 per half-day for up to 10 persons, plus shore power (€4-€8/day), warm showers (€0.50), and laundry (€4/load). The harbor is home to a monumental fleet including the 1916 logger Iris (charter, up to 12 passengers), the 1916 schooner-rigged logger Luciana (charter, up to 24 guests in the North Sea and Baltic), and the 1910 logger Lotos (liveaboard).

The business model is that of a heritage-preservation non-profit rather than a venture-scaled operator. Customer acquisition is passive and relies on the harbor's reputation within the sailing community, organic search visibility, and direct phone/email inquiries to the harbor master; no active sales team exists. Operational infrastructure consists of standard marina equipment (VHF channels 81 for approach and 20 for bridge coordination, iMarina QR-code payments, jetty water taps, and basic onshore utilities), with no proprietary software, mobile application, API, or AI/ML capabilities. The marina is designated as 'centrumhaven voor maritieme evenementen' (center harbor for maritime events), enabling additional filming and photography bookings, and the trilingual public website (Dutch, English, German) indicates modest international inbound targeting. The addressable market is a niche, defensible segment of historic sailing vessel preservation and central Rotterdam waterfront mooring.

Name

Veerhaven

Legal name

Stichting Veerhaven Rotterdam

Website

https://veerhavenrotterdam.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1990

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Veerhaven Rotterdam is a non-profit foundation operating a historic yacht harbor in central Rotterdam, providing transient berths, permanent berths for historic sailing vessels, winter storage, and meeting space for visiting boaters, vessel owners, and event clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Rotterdam

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Marina Berth Fees (Passanten): Transient berth fees charged per meter of vessel length per day. Primary revenue stream for visiting boaters. Included in this fee are water tap points on the jetties.
2. Winter Storage: Winter berth rental from October 1 to April 1 for classic ships and modern yachts. Seasonal revenue stream with special arrangements for classic/historical vessels.
3. Meeting Room Rental: Rental of 'Bureau Veerhaven' floating meeting room for up to 10 persons. €200 per half-day including coffee and tea. Additional revenue from filming and photography bookings at the harbor.
4. Utilities and Facilities: Shore power (230V/16A €4/day, 380V/32A €8/day), warm showers (€0.50), laundry (€4 per load). Ancillary revenue from facility usage.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Veerhaven Rotterdam operates a historical yacht harbor in central Rotterdam offering transient berths (passanten) for visiting yachts and sailing vessels, fixed berths reserved exclusively for historic seagoing sailing vessels, and winter storage from October 1 to April 1. The marina is home to a monumental fleet of historical vessels and also rents out 'Bureau Veerhaven', a floating meeting room (capacity up to 10 persons), along with filming and photography bookings at the harbor.

Product overview

Veerhaven Rotterdam is a historical yacht harbor operated by Stichting Veerhaven Rotterdam, offering three types of berthing services: permanent berths for historic sailing vessels (evaluated individually for character fit), transient berths for passing yachts and sailing ships, and winter storage from October to April for both classic and modern vessels. The marina also houses the floating Bureau Veerhaven, which provides a rental meeting room accommodating up to 10 persons. Several historic vessels at the marina, including the Iris and Luciana loggers, offer charter sailing services for events and passenger trips.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Transient Berths (Passanten) Berths for visiting yachts and sailing vessels available year-round at the historical Veerhaven in central Rotterdam. No specific berth can be reserved; the harbor master assigns mooring locations upon arrival after pre-registration by phone or email. Includes water tap points on the jetties.
• Fixed Berths for Historic Sailing Vessels (Vaste Liggers) Permanent year-round berthing for seagoing sailing vessels with historical character. The Stichting Veerhaven Rotterdam reviews each application individually to assess fit with the harbor's character and image, seeking maximum variety in ship types.
• Winter Storage (Winterliggen) Winter berths offered from October 1 to April 1 for classic ships and modern yachts. Winter berth holders are invited to participate in annual community activities including the Lichtjesfeest (Festival of Lights), New Year's celebration, and berth-holder meetings.
• Bureau Veerhaven Meeting Room Rental Rental of a unique floating meeting room inside Bureau Veerhaven (a former River Police office dating to around 1910). The room accommodates up to 10 persons and is available for meetings, product presentations, brainstorming sessions, filming, and photography at €200 per half-day including coffee and tea.

Quantifiable outcome

• Direct river access eliminates navigation complexity from the sea
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• MDL Marinas: UK-based network of marinas offering berths, winter storage, and boatyard services across southern England. A comparable European marina operator at commercial scale, with similar service mix (transient berths, winter storage, utilities) but professionally managed rather than foundation-governed.
• Port of Rotterdam Authority: Municipal-scale port authority overseeing the broader Rotterdam harbor system including recreational and marina facilities. While focused on commercial shipping, it sets policy and infrastructure context for small operators like Veerhaven.
• Watersportverbond (Royal Netherlands Watersport Association): National federation coordinating Dutch watersport clubs and marinas. While not a single marina operator, it sets standards, advocates for sailing infrastructure, and represents the broader network of harbors serving similar recreational boater segments as Veerhaven.

Direct peers

• Jachtclub Schiedam: Nearby sailing club and marina in Schiedam, just west of Rotterdam on the Nieuwe Maas. Serves similar recreational and historical sailing customers in the same regional cruising circuit and competes directly for transient berths and club memberships.
• Koninklijke Roei- en Zeilvereniging 'De Maas': Royal Rowing and Sailing Association that previously managed Veerhaven as a yacht harbor from 1909 until 1990. Operates a comparable club-based marina model in Rotterdam with similar historic and member-oriented character, making it the most direct peer.
• Rotterdam Yacht Club / W.S.V. Rotterdam: Local watersport association operating marina facilities in the greater Rotterdam area. Competes for the same transient and seasonal berth customers seeking protected harbor access in Rotterdam's harbor system.

Regional players

• Jachthaven Biesbosch: Mid-sized marina in the Biesbosch area south of Rotterdam, serving recreational boaters on Dutch inland waterways. Operates a similar mix of berth rentals and seasonal storage, though without Veerhaven's historic urban-waterfront positioning.

Others

• Stichting Het Zeilend Zeeschip (ZZ): Dutch foundation dedicated to preserving and promoting traditional sailing ships. Shares Veerhaven's heritage-preservation mission, and member vessels are commonly based at Veerhaven and similar historic marinas; the organizations are ecosystem partners more than direct competitors.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Veerhaven-Rotterdam-100080490636171
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/veerhaven

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Veerhaven