PRESS RELEASE

Stronger Together: NPRC Presents Strategic Course During Anniversary General Assembly

Growth as the Foundation for Innovation

The Course Towards 2030
A unique and diverse fleet of 160 vessels, ambitious entrepreneurial members from various countries, and long-standing customers form a strong foundation on the road to 2030. This course was jointly developed by the management, members, and staff, and presented during the General Assembly.

To maintain its position as an innovative frontrunner in logistics, achieving sufficient scale is crucial. Both in terms of volume and membership, NPRC’s strategy in the coming years focuses on further growth, with ambitious yet realistic targets. By 2030, the cooperative is expected to have approximately 200 members, collectively transporting 17.5 million tons of cargo. Over the same period, CO₂ emissions are projected to decrease by 20%.

CEO Femke Brenninkmeijer explained the new course: “European industry is under pressure, and as a result, logistics is experiencing turbulent times. Rising costs, shortages of personnel and vessels, and unpredictable energy markets are challenges that affect customers, logistics providers, and inland shipping companies alike.”

CFO Arno Treur added: “These are issues that we, as a cooperative, tackle together with our customers. At the same time, they are major challenges that require scale – and in this case, together we are stronger. Together, we create the space to continue investing in innovations in digitalization, optimization, and emissions reduction.”

Positive Figures with a Critical Note
During the meeting, the members also reviewed the fiscal year running from April 2024 to March 2025, a year in which the transport of dry bulk in inland shipping showed only a limited recovery. The volume transported by NPRC rose to 14.3 million tons, further increasing the cooperative’s market share. As a result of this growth in tonnage, revenue also increased by 4.8%.

When presenting the annual figures, CFO Arno Treur noted that margins are under pressure: “This is a trend visible across the broader logistics sector and can lead to a halt in investments. Of course, we carefully manage today’s costs, but we must also continue to invest in the challenges of tomorrow. The strategic course we have set today serves as our compass and a clear point on the horizon.

90 Years of Continuity
During the General Assembly, the anniversary of NPRC, founded in 1935, was also celebrated. The event provided an opportunity for members to say farewell to CEO Femke Brenninkmeijer, who will join Energie Nederland starting in December.

In a warm and personal farewell speech, Femke Brenninkmeijer reflected on the strength of NPRC: “Within NPRC, the strong collective and the trust between members, the office, and customers create a unique strength. A strength that has ensured continuity and reliability for our members for 90 years, and at the same time for our customers. With the course set toward 2030, this energetic 90-year-old cooperative will continue to deliver continuity and reliability in an innovative way.”

Femke thanked the attending members for their trust and was presented with a painting by the Members’ Advisory Council as a token of appreciation of the cooperative.