WaterstofNet team
The WaterstofNet team consists of three people: Tom Verlinden, Bert De Colvenaer (CEO) and Sofie Van Overschelde (strategic communications advisor).
Tom Verlinden Sofie Van Overschelde, communications manager WaterstofNet
new phase and a renewed focus on four priorities: organising cooperation and knowledge exchange, helping set up a tanker pool, speaking with one voice to European and national authorities, and increasing visibility within the inland navigation sector.”
An intensive round of consultations among the new steering committee members preceded the new working agenda, Verlinden said. “These consultations culminated in a first joint meeting on December 2nd, where we unanimously adopted the agenda. New members, such as the provinces of Overijssel and Rhineland- Palatinate, and major ports like Basel and Port of Antwerp-Bruges, strengthen the network’s geographical spread and influence. WaterstofNet will play a central role in coordinating the various initiatives, laying a solid foundation for a sustainable, emission- free future in the Rhine-Alps region.”
Timeframe When asked about his vision for the future of RH₂INE, the new programme manager explains: “For me, the ultimate realisation of RH₂INE should be a fully equipped inland waterway hydrogen infrastructure along the entire Rhine. This infrastructure should be standardised to give inland shippers uniform access to hydrogen, wherever they are. It means a commitment to reliable hydrogen supply, but also to standardised regulations and permits that are clearly communicated to the users, that is, both for inland ports and for inland shippers. Safety is obviously a top priority. A streamlined permit package would ensure smooth and safe implementation. As for the timeframe, I don’t want to commit myself yet, but I hope that in a few years, maybe three years, we will be well on our way. One should have a dream!”
“I am a trained civil engineer with a specialisation in energy, and have worked at companies such as Atlas Copco, BASF and the Port of Antwerp (now Port of Antwerp-Bruges)”, says Tom Verlinden. “Before making the switch to WaterstofNet, I was active at the Port of Antwerp as mobility manager. For the past three years I haven been working as a project manager at WaterstofNet, and am still enthusiastic about what we are doing. “I believe that hydrogen plays a crucial role as a lever for the energy transition. I am committed to all kinds of projects, including in inland navigation, to make this happen. As for my personal contribution: I take the bicycle to work. It is not only a healthy choice, but also a way to do my own bit for the green transition. It’s my way of actively living in line with the sustainable future I believe in.”
Bert De Colvenaer
CEO Bert De Colvenaer will regularly step into the RH2INE foreground. He joined the board of WaterstofNet a year ago, and looks back on extensive experience in the hydrogen world. After nineteen years at Toyota and seven years at the European Commission’s Clean Hydrogen Partnership, he became the CEO of WaterstofNet, and now advises and supports a team of passionate WaterstofNet colleagues. He is also the manager of a team of four daughters at home. Bert also sits on the board of the German-Belgium-Luxembourg Chamber of Commerce. He is fluent in German - an indispensable asset in this network.
Sofie Van Overschelde
Sofie is new to the hydrogen world. She has been working for WaterstofNet since October 2024. On her fourth working day, she was already at the table in The Hague with the previous RH2INE policy team. Armed with a hearty dose of enthusiasm, eagerness to learn and a fluent pen, she will handle communications for RH2INE. Her background in cross-border Flemish-Dutch cooperation is expected to come in handy.
18 • RH2INE
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