11 March 2025: Alumni get together in the Beacon
On the eight floor of the Beacon, with stunning views over the city and the river Scheldt, about sixty alumni gathered for drinks and snacks and to listen to Jan Pas, the only Maritime Expert on unmanned shipping within the Federal Public Service for Mobility & Transport. Jan elaborated on MASS, Maritme Autonomous Surface Ships, and unmanned vessels.
The crowd was interested and asked some witty questions. Jan is quite a busy man, as a lot of people in the industry want to know more about our country’s legislation on this topic. A lot of work is still ahead, certainly in an international environment.
Our group of alumni consisted out of different kind of professionals, with a special mentioning of 92 year old Frederic Lemmens, who off course studied at AMA, then sailed on board ships, to continue his career as navigator on board SABENA airplanes. When navigators were not needed anymore he became an airplane pilot. You see, you find alumni in very diverse places or functions!
Here is what Tim Heiremans, Boardmember of the Alumni, had to say as a welcome speech:
“Dear Alumni and Friends of the Antwerp Maritime Academy,
First of all, a warm welcome to you all, for attending yet another Alumni get together.
In view of yesterday’s sad event in the North Sea, it is clear that there is an evident need for good maritime education. You are all the proof of this!
And in order for a Maritime Academy to keep delivering, there is a relevant need for a good Alumni Association filled with professionals keeping in contact, meeting, and sharing knowledge from the actual professional and business world out there. Not all Alumni are pilots you know!
Therefore, in name of the Alumni Association, I have a dream.
I have a dream that the many diverse Belgian maritime associations / each with their own boards and financing needs / start dreaming with me of uniting us all under the ‘one umbrella’ that links us all: our Maritime Academy, and it’s now officially registered Alumni Association.
This way we become a stronger and more professional association with more resources, as now all different maritime associations are trying to get sponsorships from the same pool of willing companies, which we call “The Friends of the Antwerp Maritime Academy”.
I would now like to thank our new boardmembers Kenneth, Marianne and Bert, and also Jeroen for his nightly efforts in getting this meeting organized, also not to forget the Antwerp Maritime Academy and Rowan and Christel for accommodating the Association, and not to forget the Beacon and the Zeescouts for their service here this evening.
Furthermore I would now like to mention that we are honored to have Jan Pas, a Maritime Expert of the Federal Public Service for Mobility & Transport, as our guest speaker.
He will provide valuable insights into the maritime future of "Maritme Autonomous Surface Ships and Unmanned vessels”, after which we invite you to some drinks.”
