On 14 June, Her Majesty Queen Máxima christened Royal Wagenborg's Easymax vessels ‘Máxima’ and ‘Alexia’ (both flying the Dutch flag). The ceremony took place during Delfsail in the presence of 2,000 employees and guests.
After a welcome address and speech by CEO Egbert Vuursteen, Queen Máxima performed the world’s first drone-assisted name giving and christening ceremony. By pushing a button, the drone flew to shipyard Niestern Sander, a mile ahead, where the Easymax vessel nearing completion was christened as yard number 853, ‘Alexia’.
Queen Máxima then proceeded with the christening of the vessel ‘Máxima’. For this special event, the vessel was moored at the terminal of shipyard Royal Niestern Sander in Wagenborg’s home port of Delfzijl. Following the ceremony, 42 dancers, each carrying a flag representing different countries, performed a spectacular dance.
Her Majesty Queen Máxima also spoke with the contractors who built both Easymax vessels, various domestic and foreign guests closely involved with Wagenborg, and descendants of shareholders, discussing their visions for a sustainable future. During a boat tour through the port, Queen Máxima met various captains of the tall ships.
126 Years of Wagenborg
The event included a reflection on 126 years of Wagenborg, with a look towards the future of the family company. The Easymax ships are set to play a prominent role in this future. Wagenborg expressed great pride in having Queen Máxima as the guest of honor during Delfsail.
Egbert Vuursteen, CEO of Royal Wagenborg, remarked, “In 1995, Crown Prince Willem-Alexander christened the ‘Kroonborg’. In 2009, Queen Beatrix christened the ‘Beatrix’, and now Her Majesty Queen Máxima honored us by christening two vessels during Delfsail. I am delighted she accepted this role!”
Easymax
The Easymax is the latest ice-strengthened vessel with unparalleled fuel efficiency. It currently boasts the lowest CO2 footprint per tonne of cargo carried, leading the global Energy Efficiency Design Index. The ship features the traditional Wagenborg red-grey colors, though it could easily have been entirely green!
Source: Wagenborg