OPERATED FROM SWITZERLAND
Swiss Inland Shipping
One team behind the complete operation.
PARTNERSHIP
Your vessel.
Our responsibility.
Swiss Inland Shipping combines practical experience in European inland navigation with professional vessel management from Switzerland.
We understand what it takes to operate an inland vessel — not only from the perspective of
a shipping company, but also from the experience of captains, vessel owners and operators.
Our organisation manages the commercial and operational activities behind inland vessels, bringing together chartering, voyage planning, crew coordination, technical support, administration and financial oversight.
Through close cooperation with vessel owners and our network of maritime partners, we provide the structure and continuity required to keep vessels operating efficiently
The roots of Swiss Inland Solutions go back to 2006, when brothers Rick and Bart van den Boomgaard started working together in European inland shipping.
What began on board developed over the years into extensive hands-on experience across the international shipping industry.
Rick built his career in European inland shipping, progressing through various operational roles to become a captain. With nearly two decades of hands-on experience, he developed extensive knowledge of navigation, vessel operations and the challenges of the inland shipping industry.
Beyond his experience on board, Rick has also been involved in the ownership and commercial operation of several inland vessels. This has given him a broader perspective on the industry, combining practical experience as a captain with the responsibilities of a vessel owner and operator, including commercial management, chartering, personnel, financial performance and operational coordination.
Bart's career extended beyond European inland shipping into the international maritime industry. His experience includes seagoing shipping and the global marine fuel and bunkering sector, where he held a position as Superintendent for a multinational company. This role provided him with valuable experience in international maritime operations, technical coordination, operational management and working within complex international organisations.
Together, their backgrounds combine hands-on navigation, vessel ownership, commercial ship operations and international maritime management — providing a practical understanding of the shipping industry from the wheelhouse to the boardroom.
In 2022, Rick and Bart met Frits Bazen. With more than 25 years of experience in the Swiss transport and logistics industry, Frits brought a different but complementary perspective: extensive knowledge of the Swiss business environment, a strong professional network and many years of experience in management, company development and quality management.
His background, supported by a Master of Science in Total Quality Management, brought additional expertise in organisational development, professional management and quality standards.
It quickly became clear that these two worlds were a natural fit.
Rick and Bart brought practical experience in European inland shipping and international maritime operations. Frits brought the experience, network and business environment of Switzerland. Together, they developed a clear vision:
To combine hands-on shipping experience with the professional and international business environment of Switzerland.
That vision became the foundation of Swiss Inland Solutions.
What started as a collaboration has since developed into a growing organisation with specialists in vessel operations, corporate management, HR and payroll, accounting, taxation, safety, compliance and other disciplines essential to modern inland shipping.
Today, Swiss Inland Solutions brings these specialists together under one roof and supports shipping companies, vessel owners and maritime professionals throughout Europe.
Through Swiss Inland Shipping, Swiss Inland Support and Swiss Inland Crewing, we combine practical experience on board with professional expertise ashore.
One organisation, built around the needs of European inland shipping.
COMPLETE VESSEL OPERATIONS
More than moving
from A to B.
We coordinate the commercial, operational and organisational responsibilities behind the vessel, working closely with owners to keep the complete operation moving.
01
Commercial operations
& chartering
Keeping the vessel moving. Combining commercial opportunities with practical knowledge of vessel operations.
We manage the commercial activities behind the vessel, including chartering, freight negotiations, voyage planning and communication with customers and charterers.
Our team coordinates commercial agreements and operational schedules, taking into account vessel availability, navigation conditions and the practical requirements on board.
By combining market knowledge with hands-on shipping experience, we aim to ensure efficient operations, reliable planning and commercially sound decisions that support the long-term interests of the vessel and its owner.
02
Daily vessel
operations
From planning to execution. Clear and direct communication between our office, captains and vessel owners ensures smooth and efficient vessel operations.
We coordinate the operational activities behind each vessel, including voyage documentation, crew planning, personnel changes and communication with the relevant authorities.
Our team also oversees safety-related matters, insurance and claims coordination, financial control and management reporting.
Where required, we arrange practical support for crews, including vehicle leasing and transport solutions for crew changes, travel and other operational needs.
By maintaining close contact with captains and vessel owners, we ensure that operational matters are handled efficiently, information is shared clearly and everyone involved remains informed about the vessel's operations.
03
Maintenance &
technical coordination
Keeping vessels in reliable condition. Continuous attention to maintenance, technical requirements and vessel performance, in close cooperation with owners and crew.
We coordinate planned maintenance, repairs and technical services, working closely with vessel owners, captains, shipyards and specialised suppliers.
Our team monitors vessel certificates, inspection requirements and renewal dates, while coordinating technical documentation and communication with inspection and classification organisations.
By maintaining clear communication between all parties, we help ensure that maintenance and technical matters are handled efficiently, with vessel owners remaining closely involved in important decisions concerning their vessels.
OUR APPROACH
Your vessel.
Our ORGANISATION.
The owner remains involved, receives insight into the operation and participates in important decisions.
We take care of the extensive day-to-day organisation.
Close owner involvement
Short communication lines
Clear responsibilities
OUR TEAM
EXPERIENCE ON BOARD
AND ASHORE.
Technical understanding. Practical organisation.
Bart began working in European inland shipping in 2006 and has built experience across practical, technical and organisational responsibilities. In addition to his inland shipping background, he brings approximately ten years of experience as a superintendent in both seagoing and inland shipping.
That experience provides a valuable connection between what happens on board and what needs to be organised ashore. Maintenance, repairs, technical requirements and operational planning are closely linked: a decision in one area can affect the vessel, the crew and the wider operation. Bart’s background brings these relationships into focus.
His experience as an entrepreneur adds a further business perspective. Technical work must be considered alongside priorities, continuity and the owner’s interests. Within the combined expertise behind Swiss Inland Shipping, Bart contributes a practical understanding of how technical and organisational decisions fit together — helping connect the realities of the vessel with a professionally coordinated operation.
Onboard experience. An entrepreneurial perspective.
Rick has been active in European inland shipping since 2006, building approximately twenty years of hands-on experience across different roles and responsibilities. His extensive background as a captain gives him a direct understanding of life on board: the demands of a voyage, the responsibility carried by the captain and the importance of clear communication with the organisation ashore.
Alongside his work in shipping, Rick has started and developed businesses. That entrepreneurial experience adds the perspective of an owner: a vessel must work as an operation and as a business. Technical and practical decisions have commercial consequences, while commercial plans must remain realistic for the people carrying them out.
This combination is central to the approach behind Swiss Inland Shipping. It brings the wheelhouse and the business closer together, with attention to workable planning, practical solutions and the long-term interests of the vessel. For owners, the value is a partner whose understanding of shipping has been built through experience on the water as well as in business.
Swiss transport expertise. A foundation for professional management.
Frits brings more than twenty-five years of experience in the Swiss transport and logistics sector. His background combines management and company development with extensive knowledge of the Swiss business environment and a strong professional network.
For a shipping organisation operating from Switzerland, the work extends beyond the vessel. Company structures, administrative responsibilities, communication with institutions and the way specialists work together all contribute to a functioning business. Frits’s experience complements Rick and Bart’s practical shipping backgrounds by bringing this Swiss organisational perspective into the partnership.
Frits also holds a Master of Science in Total Quality Management. This adds a structured perspective on processes, responsibilities and continuous improvement. Together with his transport-sector experience, it supports the ambition behind Swiss Inland Shipping: an organisation in which practical vessel knowledge and professional management reinforce each other, with clear communication and close cooperation with owners.
Together with our operational team: inland shipping experience, Swiss transport expertise and professional management.
Together with our operational team: inland shipping experience, Swiss transport expertise and professional management.
FOR VESSEL OWNERS
Operate your vessel from Switzerland.
Swiss Inland Shipping offers vessel owners the opportunity to bring their vessel into a Swiss-based operation through a vessel hire arrangement and close cooperation with our organisation.
We coordinate the commercial, operational and organisational aspects of the vessel’s day-to-day operation, while the owner remains involved in important decisions.
Together, we explore how your vessel can be operated within our Swiss structure and which arrangements are appropriate for your situation.
Your vessel. Our Swiss organisation. One operation.
OUR FLEET
OPERATED FROM SWITZERLAND.
Approximately 20 inland vessels. Explore a selection of the vessels under our operation.
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Leonardo
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
110 × 11.40 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
8643573
269057129
3.16 m
2,508 t
1997
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Merope
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
81 × 10.20 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02327296
211222300
3.07 m
1,564 t
2005
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Panopea
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
85 × 9.60 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
9445801
244690751
3.00 m
1,507 t
2008
Odessa
Push boat
20 × 10.00 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
06003729
244371956
2.40 m
-
2001
Sumus Umbra
Push boat
18.9 × 9.00 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
06004202
244780409
1.89 m
-
1964
Dampezzo
Inland motor freighter
135 × 11.40 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
6003426
205529990
3.40 m
3,746 t
1989
Palazzo
Inland motor freighter
135 × 11.45 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02331628
244630541
3.59 m
3,901 t
2008
Hubert
Inland motor freighter
80 × 8.20 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
2204791
244690942
2.52 m
1,128 t
1956
Yinthe
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
85 × 11.40 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02328826
244710460
3.20 m
1,924 t
1993
Slot Josselin
Gas tanker
135 × 11.44 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02340175
211264550
3.01 m
2,622 t
2023
Slot Tullgarn
Gas tanker
135 × 11.45 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02340295
211265300
3.01 m
2,651 t
2024
Slot Oxford - Kanaloa
Gas tanker
135 × 11.45 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02340282
211264500
3.01 m
2,651 t
2024
Connemara
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
110 × 11.45 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
02333890
244730368
3.71 m
3,047 t
2011
Theger
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
110 × 11.40 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
06105794
205571790
3.41 m
2,899 t
2024
Birjo
Liquid cargo tanker - Type C
110 × 11.40 m
Vessel identifier
MMSI
Draught
Load capacity
Year built
06105706
205248590
3.33 m
2,753 t
2020