ABOUT US.

OUR HERITAGE, MORE THAN 100 YEARS KNOW-HOW

 

VALUES

Flexibility & Teamwork

 

Social Responsibility

 

Sponsorship

Opportunity for prosperity

 

COMPLIANCE

Doing the right thing.

 

Family owned & client-driven since 1918

We Are Muller

Muller Dordrecht is a family owned business that stands for fellowship, craftsmanship, entrepreneurship and stewardship. We believe that our oceans, seas, lakes and rivers offer humanity a growing range of possibilities in terms of trade, food, energy and recreation. We provide maritime solutions to meet these opportunities, through port assistance, seagoing & offshore towage, heavy transport and related services.

Our Heritage

In the previous century, we revolutionised the tug and barge business with tailor-made solutions and dedicated crew. More than hundred years and many succesfull projects & towages later, those pillars are unchanged. Their importance is only growing with the need for increased sustainability and digitalisation. It is our aim to combine our proven know-how and dedication to serve the needs of our clients in the coming years.

Our Story

18th Century

The maritime journey started in 1779, when the Muller family became active in the shipping industry. Teunis Muller became skipper on the market ferry (beurtvaart) from Dordrecht to Zwijndrecht.

Founded in 1918

Teunis Muller (1894-1968) was working on the tugboat for his father Leendert Muller until half 1918. Together with his brother Jan Muller, Teun started to rent the tug EN AVANT III.

Rederij T. Muller BV, known as Sleepdienst “En Avant” at that time, was founded by Teun Muller in 1918. Later on in 1922 Teun continued the business on it’s own.

1918

Zuiderzee Works

In this period Muller became very active in the project called Zuiderzee Works (Dutch: Zuiderzeewerken). This project is a man-made system of dams and dikes, land reclamation and water drainage work, in total the largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the twentieth century. The project involved the damming of the Zuiderzee, a large, shallow inlet of the North Sea, and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed water using polders. Its main purposes are to improve flood protection and create additional land for agriculture.

The American Society of Civil Engineers declared these works, together with the Delta Works in the South-West of the Netherlands, as among the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

1927

Bridging The Gap

Muller became market specialist in transporting and commissioning (swimming-in) of several bridges after the Second World War (WWII). One of the important landmarks was the Moerdijk bridge, which had to be restored. By the use of barges and tugs, Muller succesfully sailed in the several bridgespans over the river. This job was picked up by by the national newspapers and resulted in many contracts with the national authorities and local steel company’s.

1946

Delta Works

In this period Muller became very active in the project called Zuiderzee Works (Dutch: Zuiderzeewerken). This project is a man-made system of dams and dikes, land reclamation and water drainage work, in total the largest hydraulic engineering project undertaken by the Netherlands during the twentieth century. The project involved the damming of the Zuiderzee, a large, shallow inlet of the North Sea, and the reclamation of land in the newly enclosed water using polders. Its main purposes are to improve flood protection and create additional land for agriculture.

The American Society of Civil Engineers declared these works, together with the Delta Works in the South-West of the Netherlands, as among the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.

1953

Move Into The Offshore Industry

Muller gets involved in the offshore oil & gas industry, which was becoming a fast growing market on the North Sea at that period. The towage experience within our company became a great value for the special towages of the offshore barges and major cargo moves within the regional ports and shallow draught places.

1975

New Steps Into The Heavylift & Transport

In 1983 Muller acquired Hak Heavy Transport who was active in het heavy transport and lifting market in Europe. Because of this Muller got involved in transporting and lifting heavy and voluminous loads.

1983

Start of Port Towage Service in Dordrecht & Moerdijk

Harbour towage in Dordrecht & Moerdijk area was included to the company’s activities

1987

Milestones

1779
It all started when the family became active in the shipping industry
1918
Foundation of Rederij T. Muller
1953
Muller involved in the "Delta Werken" after the flooding disaster
1975
Muller gets involved in the offshore oil & gas industry on the Northsea by towage activities
1983
Acquisition of Hak Heavy Transport leads to a new market for Muller, Heavy Transport & Lifting
1987
Start of Port Towage services by Muller in Dordrecht & Moerdijk seaports
2000
New steps in seagoing towage by newbuild seagoing tug (EN AVANT 5)
2007
Expansion in the Heavylift & Transport market by the purchase of newbuild seagoing RoRo barges
2011
Shifting activity focus from inland to seagoing & offshore by purchase of seagoing tugboats in the range 30-70T BP
2017
By purchase of EN AVANT 30 (AHT - 120T BP), Muller enters the offshore and anchorhandling market
2018
Celebrating 100 years of Muller