The Netherlands-based wind-assisted ship propulsion company Econowind has appointed Daan Koornneef as ceo, effective immediately.
Koornneef boasts more than 35 years of experience in the maritime and offshore sectors, starting his career in the Royal Netherlands Navy and later working in towage, salvage, offshore energy and manufacturing equipment for wind farm construction.
His appointment comes as Econowind scales up its operations to meet growing global demand for sustainable propulsion solutions. “Daan’s deep maritime background and strong sustainability mindset make him the right person to lead Econowind into the future,” said Econowind founder Frank Nieuwenhuis. “Leading a scale-up requires full-time focus… Our goal is to maximise wind yield and minimise payback time, making wind propulsion an even more attractive investment for shipowners.”
With this appointment, Nieuwenhuis will now focus entirely on research and development.
In February 2025, HLPFI reported that Econowind had secured funds for its VentoFoil XL prototype for deepsea shipping.
