Our history

Make the world safe is the motto of De Ruyter Training & Consultancy (DRTC). Originally founded under the name Maritime Training Center, and later renamed HZ Safety before becoming DRTC, the company was established in 1981 in the port city of Vlissingen — a place deeply rooted in Dutch maritime history. At a time when safety at sea was becoming increasingly important, the training center was among the first to respond to the growing demand for professional, hands-on safety training.

As one of the first training centers in the Netherlands dedicated entirely to STCW courses — such as Firefighting, Personal Survival Techniques, and First Aid at Sea — DRTC built a strong reputation from the very beginning. Its mission was clear: to equip professionals in the maritime and offshore sectors with the knowledge and practical skills that can quite literally make the difference between safety and danger.

Thanks to this early dedication, DRTC became recognized not only as a training provider but as one of the founding institutions of the STCW and NOGEPA training frameworks in the Netherlands. This pioneering role has earned DRTC a solid position within the international world of safety training.

Throughout the 1990s and 2000s, DRTC grew into a valued training partner within the maritime and offshore industries. In addition to providing training, DRTC increasingly focused on developing customized solutions for companies and organizations both in the Netherlands and abroad.

The organization worked closely with partners such as Safety Centre Zeeland, HZ University of Applied Sciences (through Ruyter Academy), and Scalda College to offer high-quality, accredited programs. These collaborations ensured strong regional roots and continuous quality improvement. Thanks to this exchange between practical experience and educational innovation, DRTC also became a key player in training the next generation of maritime professionals.

In the early 2000s, DRTC took its first steps abroad. With the establishment of a branch in Curaçao, right in the heart of the Caribbean, the center responded to the growing demand for professional, competence-based safety training in the region. Training was provided for both local maritime workers and international offshore teams, in multiple languages including English, Spanish, and Papiamento.

Curaçao quickly became a key hub for training seafarers, offshore personnel, and logistics staff across the Caribbean, South America, and beyond.

In 2019, DRTC reached a new milestone by taking over the maritime training center in Groningen. In collaboration with ROC Noorderpoort, the location was equipped for STCW courses, featuring unique facilities such as a training pontoon on the water and specialized practical spaces. This allowed DRTC to offer the same high-quality, hands-on training in the north of the Netherlands and surrounding border regions as it does in Vlissingen.

Today, DRTC operates from three main locations: Vlissingen (headquarters), Groningen, and Curaçao. In addition, DRTC provides on-site training on request in locations including Aruba, Bonaire, St. Eustatius, Saba, Suriname, and Guyana.

Where the organization began as a trainer for local seafarers, DRTC has grown into an internationally recognized center of knowledge and training, offering a broad portfolio of certified courses under STCW, NOGEPA, and GWO standards. Each year, hundreds of professionals are trained to perform their work safely, effectively and with confidence, from young seafarers to experienced team leaders on offshore installations.