Text by Peter Scheijgrond, Bluespring
Photos by Sia Windig, Bluespring
Last, but certainly not least, we visited Gerard Manshanden of FishFlow Innovations, located at an industrial estate just outside the historical town of Medemblik. Specializing in pumps and solutions to minimize the impact on migrating fish, Gerard, a former commercial fisherman, has seamlessly integrated his practical experience at sea and with fish into his passion for innovations. Known for his straightforward approach, Gerard's solutions are both simple and effective, addressing tangible problems in a practical manner.
Fish safety first
Gerard explains how his idea for FishFlow screw pump is simple and better than other solutions: the screw is enclosed in a rotating pipe attached to it, and thus rotating with the screw. This gives less turbulence in the water and thus better performance and most importantly, it prevents fish from getting damaged at the edges of the screw blades. Simple and effective.
Seventy realised projects in five countries
By today FishFlow Innovations has grown to a worldwide leading company in innovative fish friendly products for passage and deterrence of fish. With 8 patents and more than 70 realised projects in 5 countries they are building a future where the prosperity of aquatic ecosystems and efficient generation of sustainable energy becomes the norm.
FishFlow Innovations is also involved in the Larantuka TidalBridge project in Indonesia: a floating bridge with tidal turbines below. Gerard expects to supply 32 FishFlow tidal turbines, using a similar screw design for the impeller and housed in a duct, to increase the water speed. The project has just entered the Front End Engineering & Design phase, which is lead by consultancy Witteveen+Bos.
Come on, stand up, you as well, and turn the tide!
To mark Witteveen+Bos's 75th anniversary, the company commissioned a compelling video, that combines its mission with societal impact. Featuring Gerard's innovative tidal turbines and a large-scale irrigation solution for the deserts, the video left us all captivated.
The touching plea of a young girl urging us all to "stand up and turn the tide" resonated deeply. As we boarded the bus, a profound realization dawned upon us – we had just encountered a remarkable individual who is doing just that.
Offshore For Sure
The recently launched Offshore For Sure project, funded under the Interreg Flanders/Netherlands programme aims to test and validate a number of offshore renewable energy solutions that can play a role in the energy transition at sea. Visit the website to find out how you can get involved.