Legal expert and lector Welmoed van der Velde considers her field of Maritime Law to be a fine puzzle. In shipping, after all, law and technology are always in constant flux. And what's more, the regulations differ per country. Her work includes carrying out research into the reduction of administrative tasks at sea.

“I am a lawyer and obtained my PhD with a thesis on the position of  seagoing ships in international private law. As a hearing officer at the Ministry of Security and Justice I have drafted maritime law and negotiated treaties at the International Maritime Organization (IMO). I am now a temporary judge at the Northern Netherlands law court and lector in Maritime Law. My most important research subject is the interaction between (maritime) technology and law. Technical innovations require new regulations. The reverse is also true; new  regulations need technical innovations in order for these regulations to be met. What's more, the shipping regulations differ from country to country. I couldn't ask for a finer puzzle as a lawyer.”

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Mr. Dr. Welmoed van der Velde

Relevance is always clear

“Research, education and entrepreneurship form the basis to my work for the NHL Stenden. In my research projects, I create collaboration between researchers, businesses and students of Marof, Maritime Technology, Law, CMD and Information Technology. An example of this is the study Reducing Regulatory Pressure, [link to research] whereby students, together with shipping companies, are developing an innovative tool in order to reduce to the administrative load on board.”

“The relevance is always clear in the practical research. You can think of a solution for a concrete problem. The close collaboration here between students, researchers and business appeals to me very much. And through this collaboration I learn something new every day.”