Maritieme Academie Harlingen

What Maritieme Academie Harlingen does

Maritieme Academie Harlingen (MAH) is a Dutch public vocational secondary school (vmbo) specializing in maritime and technical education, established in 1998 and operating from Almenumerweg 1 in Harlingen, Friesland, under the Dunamare Onderwijsgroep educational foundation. The school is one of only four vmbo institutions in the Netherlands offering inland navigation vocational education, delivering the VMBO Maritiem & Techniek program across basisberoepsgerichte, kaderberoepsgerichte, and gemengde leerweg pathways, with two specialization tracks — Rijn-, Binnen- en Kustvaart (navigation) and Scheeps- en Jachtbouw (ship and yacht construction) — and a Geïntegreerde Leerweg Route that combines vmbo with MBO level 2 preparation through alternating school and shipboard weeks.

The campus integrates the school building, a simulator center with modern bridge simulators and VR equipment, a motorenlokaal equipped with contemporary Yanmar and Scania engines, dedicated workshops for welding and metalwork, a fleet of five training vessels including the 56-meter mps. Prinses Máxima berthed at Nieuwe Willemshaven, and a 150-room purpose-built student housing facility opened in June 2024. MBO-level maritime programs (matroos, schipper, kapitein, marine technicus, maritiem officier) are delivered in partnership with Nova College Scheepvaart on the same campus, creating a continuous vmbo-to-mbo pathway.

The school's revenue base is structurally public: Dutch government funding covers tuition for compulsory-education-age students (12–16), with additional income from income-based student housing fees, adult and professional training programs (Nova Contract, simulator courses, hydrogen-vessel crew training with Future Proof Shipping), and participation in European innovation projects such as InnoWaTr. Approximately 280 students enroll annually, the school claims a 100% graduate employment rate in the maritime sector, and the institution markets directly to prospective students, parents, and primary schools (basisscholen) via open days, a multi-channel digital presence, and regional events such as 'Techniek Tastbaar'. Leadership transitioned in 2025–2026: long-serving director Arjen Mintjes retired in July 2025 after 26 years (receiving a Ridder in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau royal honor), with Wim Huiberts as interim director from August 2025 and Arjan Nieuwenhuizen appointed as permanent director effective January 1, 2026.

Name

Maritieme Academie Harlingen

Legal name

Maritieme Academie Harlingen

Website

https://maritiemeacademieharlingen.nl

Company type

Private

Founded year

1998

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Maritieme Academie Harlingen is a Dutch public vmbo school in Friesland delivering maritime and technical vocational education (inland/coastal navigation, ship- and yacht-building) to roughly 280 students annually, operating a simulator center, a five-ship training fleet, and 150-bed student housing under the Dunamare Onderwijsgroep umbrella.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Vocational Maritime Education

NAICS

Technical and Trade Schools (6115), Professional and Management Development Training (61143)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Navigation, Seamanship & Offshore Operations (EDAOANAE)

Keywords

• Maritime vocational education
• Vmbo maritime training
• Inland navigation courses
• Ship construction training
• Maritime simulator training

Headquarters

HQ city

Harlingen

HQ country

Netherlands

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Publicly Funded Vocational Education: As a publicly funded Dutch vmbo institution under the Dunamare Onderwijsgroep umbrella, the school is financed through the Dutch government. Tuition is free for students of compulsory education age (12-16). The school charges a parental contribution (ouderbijdrage) for housing services.
2. Student Housing Fees: The school operates a student housing facility (studentenhuisvesting) that charges fees to boarders. Housing costs are calculated annually based on the combined taxable income of both parents, using tax assessments from two years prior.
3. Adult Education and Professional Training: The school offers training programs and simulators for adults and professionals in the maritime sector (Nova Contract, simulator training courses, Binnenvaart projects), generating revenue from professional development services.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

Maritieme Academie Harlingen delivers VMBO-level maritime and technical secondary education that combines classroom theory with hands-on practice on training ships, in professional bridge simulators, and in ship/yacht construction workshops. The school is located in Harlingen, Netherlands, operates within the Dunamare Onderwijsgroep educational foundation, and supports its students with on-site boarding facilities and adult professional training programs.

Product overview

Maritieme Academie Harlingen operates as an integrated maritime education campus offering vocational secondary education (VMBO Maritiem & Techniek) with two specialization tracks: Rijn-, Binnen- en Kustvaart (navigation) and Scheeps- en Jachtbouw (ship/yacht construction). The institution combines theoretical education with practical training through simulator facilities, a training fleet including the mps. Prinses Máxima, and student housing accommodating 150 students on campus. The campus also hosts MBO-level maritime programs via Nova College Scheepvaart and provides professional training services for adults in the maritime sector. Key facilities include a simulator center with bridge simulators and VR equipment, practical workshops with modern Yanmar and Scania engines, and dedicated facilities for welding and metalwork. The institution functions under the Dunamare Onderwijsgroep educational umbrella.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• VMBO Maritiem & Techniek

Quantifiable outcome

• 100% employment rate for graduates in the maritime sector
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Van Dam ShippingminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 21 November 2025Groningen-based family shipping company that delivers guest lectures to first- and second-year students during VMBO in Bedrijf events, covering short sea shipping, dry cargo operations, and the company's sustainability initiatives including wind-assisted propulsion technology.
• Provincie Groningen en Provincie FrieslandminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 21 November 2024Provincial governments of Groningen and Friesland co-organized the successful Knowledge Sharing Day on Sustainable Inland Navigation with the school on 21 November 2024. The event brought together logistics experts, technology innovators, and policymakers to discuss the future of sustainable logistics via waterways.
• WTC1 (Vietnamese Maritime School)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 September 2024Vietnamese inland navigation school from Hai Dong visited the school from 10-15 September 2024 as part of a cooperation program to strengthen inland navigation education in Vietnam. The collaboration aims at curriculum updating, teacher training, and worldwide standardization of maritime education, supported by the Dutch government (RVO) and PUM.
• BBS FriesoytheminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 June 2024German vocational school (Berufsschule) from Friesoythe, Germany, sent five students for a foreign exchange internship at the school from 8 June 2024. The exchange was funded by the Erasmus Accreditation in Vocational Training program.
• Friso Bouwgroep (Aannemingsmaatschappij Friso)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 October 2023Friso Bouwgroep from Sneek served as the main contractor for the construction of the new student housing building, completed in June 2024. The project was delivered on time and within budget, and the collaboration was described as highly satisfactory.
• Dunamare OnderwijsgroepcoreOthersThe school is part of the Dunamare Onderwijsgroep (Dunamare Education Group), a Dutch secondary education umbrella organization that manages multiple schools in the Netherlands. Dunamare provides governance, policy, and administrative support to the school.
• Nova College ScheepvaartcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNova College Scheepvaart shares the campus with the school, offering mbo-level maritime programs (matroos, schipper, kapitein, marine technicus, maritiem officier). Students can transition directly from vmbo to mbo at the same location, and both institutions share the simulator centrum, motorenlokaal, and other practical facilities.
• Talsma ShipyardsminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTalsma Shipyards in Franeker hosts fourth-year students for 3-day internship weeks twice per year. Students gain practical experience in ship maintenance, tool use, and welding under expert supervision. The shipyard regularly hosts 3-4 interns per cycle and welcomes vmbo, mbo, and hbo interns.
• KM YachtbuildersminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLuxury yacht builder in Makkum that hosts students for internships in yacht construction and shipbuilding as part of the Scheeps- en Jachtbouw (ship and yacht building) profile.
• Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerThe school supports the KNRM (Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Organization) through ongoing charity initiatives. KNRM representatives give presentations to students about sea rescue and volunteer opportunities during VMBO in Bedrijf events. The school collects bottles and cans for donation to KNRM.
• RijkswaterstaatminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDutch government agency responsible for waterways management. Collaborates with the school on training content, visits to traffic posts (verkeersposten), and knowledge exchange for inland navigation education.
• Future Proof ShippingminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFuture Proof Shipping collaborated with the school to launch a pilot training program 'Varen op waterstof' (Sailing on Hydrogen) for crew of the FPS Maas vessel, aimed at training maritime professionals in new hydrogen propulsion technology.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Scheepvaartschool IJmuiden: One of the four inland navigation vmbo schools in the Netherlands, located in IJmuiden and closely linked with Nova College. Heads-up direct competitor for the same limited Dutch applicant pool and regional employer partnerships.
• STC Group: Rotterdam-based maritime, shipping, and transport vocational education group that operates the other inland navigation vmbo school in the Rotterdam market. Directly competes for the same limited pool of Dutch inland-navigation students and serves overlapping employer and adult-training markets.
• Maritiem Instituut Willem Barentsz: Maritime vocational training institute on Terschelling focused on sea navigation and maritime technology. Comparable as a specialized maritime vocational provider in the Netherlands with overlapping simulator-based instruction and similar target population of secondary-school-aged students.
• Nova College Scheepvaart: Dutch mbo-level maritime training provider that shares the Harlingen campus and jointly uses the simulator center, motorenlokaal, and housing facilities. Operates the matroos, schipper, kapitein, marine technicus, and maritiem officier programs that form the direct continuation track for Maritieme Academie Harlingen's vmbo graduates.
• Maritieme School Aventurijn (Urk): Inland navigation vmbo school in Urk, one of the four specialized inland navigation vmbo schools in the Netherlands. Direct competitor for Dutch students seeking maritime vocational education, with comparable vocational profiles and geographic pull from a fishing/shipping community.

Others

• Rijkswaterstaat: Dutch government agency responsible for waterways and shipping infrastructure. Collaborates on curriculum, hosts visits to traffic posts, and is a key knowledge partner for inland-navigation education—an enabling regulator rather than a competitor.
• Koninklijke Nederlandse Redding Maatschappij (KNRM): Royal Netherlands Sea Rescue Institution and a recurring partner that delivers guest lectures, supports student charity initiatives, and is part of the maritime employer ecosystem. Adjacent ecosystem participant rather than a direct education competitor.

Broad incumbents

• HZ University of Applied Sciences - Maritime: Broader Dutch applied sciences university in Vlissingen offering maritime and shipping programs. Competes for the same industry's talent pipeline at the higher-education level and runs adjacent professional training, but does not specialize in inland navigation vmbo.
• NHL Stenden - Maritime Operations: Northern Netherlands applied sciences university with maritime operations programs. Geographically proximate to Harlingen and competes for the same regional pipeline at the hbo level, but offers broader academic degrees rather than vmbo specialization.

Emerging players

• Future Proof Shipping: Dutch inland shipping operator of the hydrogen-powered FPS Maas vessel, partnered with the school to launch the 'Varen op Waterstof' crew training pilot. Emerging player in sustainable inland shipping that intersects with the school's professional training expansion.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights8 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@maritiemeacademieharlingen
• Facebookfacebook.com/MaritiemeAcademie
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maritieme-academie-harlingen
• Instagraminstagram.com/maritiemeacademieharlingen
• TikToktiktok.com/@maritieme.academie
• Xx.com/MarAcHarlingen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Maritieme Academie Harlingen