{"id":705,"date":"2026-07-06T10:54:49","date_gmt":"2026-07-06T08:54:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/?post_type=referentie&p=705"},"modified":"2026-07-06T11:33:59","modified_gmt":"2026-07-06T09:33:59","slug":"systeem-heeft-zich-terugbetaald","status":"publish","type":"referentie","link":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/en\/referentie\/systeem-heeft-zich-terugbetaald\/","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe system has already paid for itself many times over.\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"

A warning. A quick reaction. An undamaged wheelhouse. For Captain Jan Bakker* aboard the MTS Rijnstroom*, Bridgescout\u00ae has already proven its value in a real situation. His conclusion is clear: \u201cYou can sail without it. But with it, it's safer.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

For Captain Jan Bakker*, safety has always come first. Long before Bridgescout\u00ae was installed on board the MTS Rijnstroom*, he followed the system's development with great interest. \u201cI first heard about Bridgescout\u00ae about ten years ago, at a maritime trade fair,\u201d he says. \u201cEven then, I thought: this is a very good system.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, the decision to install the system was not immediate. Like many inland shipping entrepreneurs, Jan had to carefully consider the investment. \u201cIt's a substantial investment,\u201d he explains. \u201cWhen a subsidy scheme was introduced in Germany that covered up to 80 percent of the costs, the right moment had arrived for me.\u201d Now, after more than two and a half years with Bridgescout\u00ae on board, he wouldn't want to be without the system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A warning at precisely the right moment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The system's value became apparent one morning that started out quite ordinary. After an overnight stay on the canal, Jan was preparing his ship for departure. As always, he lowered the mast and the wheelhouse before casting off. Or so he thought. \u201cI had lowered the wheelhouse, but apparently not far enough,\u201d he recalls. \u201cHardly had I departed when Bridgescout\u00ae sounded the alarm.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The mooring was located 200 meters before a bridge. Because of the warning, he lowered the wheelhouse immediately. \u201cHonestly, without Bridgescout\u00ae, I'm not sure if I would have noticed it in time.\u201d The consequences could have been significant. \u201cThe wheelhouse, or at least the lamp bracket on the wheelhouse, would have hit the bridge, as it was still raised. In hindsight, the system has already paid for itself with this one situation alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An extra piece of reassurance<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

As convinced as Jan is of Bridgescout\u00ae, he is just as clear about the role the system plays on board. \u201cYou should never blindly trust it,\u201d he says. \u201cYou need to know your ship, the height of the next bridge, and always keep thinking for yourself.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, Bridgescout\u00ae is not a replacement for the skipper, but an extra layer of certainty that supports the captain while sailing. \u201cIt simply provides an extra sense of security.\u201d He compares the system to the assistance systems in modern cars. \u201cYou can drive a car without ABS or ESP. Yet everyone is glad these systems exist because they make driving safer. That's how I see Bridgescout\u00ae too. You don't need it, but it's safer with it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Support in stressful situations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Daily life on inland waterways nowadays demands maximum concentration. Besides steering the ship, captains have to monitor VHF radio traffic, follow oncoming traffic, make phone calls, or handle organizational tasks. \u201cThere are always moments when you're distracted,\u201d Jan explains. \u201cYou're watching traffic, making a call, or doing something in the wheelhouse.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is exactly where Bridgescout\u00ae comes into its own. \u201cThe system reminds you that the next bridge is coming up, even if your attention is elsewhere.\u201d Of course, this doesn't mean the captain can become inattentive. \u201cYou shouldn't really work that way,\u201d he says with a laugh. \u201cBut reality is sometimes different. And that's precisely when Bridgescout\u00ae is excellent extra assurance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technique with realistic expectations<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jan also appreciates that Bridgescout\u00ae was conscientiously developed as an assistance system and doesn't pretend to be perfect. \u201cYes, sometimes there are false alarms too,\u201d he says. \u201cFor example, at locks, when water flows down like a wall. The system then recognizes that as an obstacle.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For him, that's just part of it when it comes to dealing with technology. \u201cYou get used to those kinds of situations. If you know them, they're not a problem.\u201d What's much more important is that everyone understands what Bridgescout\u00ae is intended for. \u201cIt can't look around corners. It doesn't replace experience. It simply provides additional information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prevent major damage<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Jan also clearly sees the economic advantages. \u201cA damaged wheelhouse costs significantly more than Bridgescout\u00ae.\u201d Because in addition to repair costs, there is often also a longer downtime for the ship. \u201cFirst, you need a new wheelhouse. Then the radar and all navigation technology have to be rebuilt. With major damage, the ship is quickly out of service for two or even three months.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The consequences are particularly severe in tanker shipping. Every collision must be reported by the charterer\/shipping company in the EBIS system, which often results in blacklisting (a block by shippers). The vessel remains blocked for shippers until the matter is cleared up and therefore cannot be deployed. \u201cYou lose valuable sailing time and income, and at the same time, safety requirements in the sector are becoming stricter every year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

An investment that pays for itself<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Would Jan recommend Bridgescout\u00ae to other captains? His answer comes without hesitation. \u201cIf anyone asks me if I'm satisfied, I tell them exactly what I told you today.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His advice is deliberately realistic. \u201cYou can also sail without it. But with it, it's safer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even after more than two years on board the MTS Rijnstroom*, Jan still looks at Bridgescout\u00ae the same way he did when he first got to know the system. \u201cIt doesn't replace a good captain,\u201d he says. \u201cBut it does give every captain an extra pair of eyes, precisely when they need them most.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About the MTS Rhine Stream<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The MTS Rijnstroom* is a tanker that sails on European inland waterways. Captain Jan Bakker* has been sailing with Bridgescout\u00ae on board for more than two and a half years and considers the system an important additional safety measure that meaningfully complements the skipper's experience, but never replaces it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

*The name of the ship and the skipper have been fabricated for privacy reasons. The real names are known to the editorial staff.<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":706,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false},"class_list":["post-705","referentie","type-referentie","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/referentie\/705","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/referentie"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/referentie"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/706"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/bridgescout.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=705"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}