A Brief history of the Koerts family
For many generations the Koerts family has been active in the maritime sector. In 1977, Jan en Gea Koerts started the tugboat company “sleepdienst J.Koerts”
Their first vessel was called Cornelis sr, named after the father of Jan Koerts.
The Cornelis sr was powered by a 400 hp Brons type 6GB engine.
This tug was mainly used for inland towing and sand barge transport.
In December 1978, the year the youngest son Robert was born, the Cornelis sr was sold to J. Stigter from Uithuizermeden in the Netherlands.
In 1979, Jan en Gea ordered their first newly built vessel at shipyard Visser located in Zwartsluis, the Netherlands.
This Tug/Push boat was powered by a 400hp Carterpillar engine type 3408.
Jan en Gea decided to name the tug the same as the previous one: Cornelis sr.
This tug was mainly used for pushing barges on the Dutch inner waters.
In the wintertime, she was also used as icebreaker.
In 1983, the company bought a second tug, which was their first seagoing tug, from J.Engelsman.
This tug, with a 1320hp SKL NVD 48 engine, was renamed from Diana to Viking.
This tug was used worldwide, mainly for dredging projects and towing voyages.
In 1990, the oldest son, Arjan Koerts, joined the company.
In August 1994, the Cornelis sr was sold to Koridon in Zaandam, the Netherlands.
In November 1995, a new engine was installed in the Viking, a 2450hp SKL NVD 29/24. Niestern Sander in Delfzijl, the Netherlands, carried out this engine change.
In 1999, the company bought another tug: the Noorman. This seagoing tug with an 800hp Stork DRO218K engine was bought from A. Wilson and was mainly used for dredging projects, towing voyages, and during the winter ice breaking operations.
The Viking was sold in 2002 to a Spaniard after Arjan Koerts left the company to start a career of his own.
In 2004, the Noorman exchanged his Stork engine for a 2250hp Carterpillar 3516.
The operation was done by Dolderman in Dordrecht, the Netherlands.
In 2005, the Noorman was sold to Bitunamel in Lubeck, Germany.
In 2006, the youngest son, Robert Koerts, joined the company.
Together with Jan en Gea, a new tug was ordered at Shipyard gebr. Kooiman (Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands).
This multipurpose 70 ton bollard pull tug with 2x 3050hp was baptized in March 2008 as Viking.
The Viking has been, and still is, mostly working in the wind farm industry as AHTS.
In 2010, a second tug was ordered at Shipyard Kooiman (Zwijndrecht, the Netherlands)
This multipurpose 80 ton bollard pull tug with 2x3050hp Mitsubishi engines was baptized in April 2011 as “Norne”.
The Norne has mostly been, and still is, working in the wind farm industry as AHTS.
In 2011, Arjan Koerts started KMS.
In 2017, Jan en Gea retired and Robert Koerts took over the family business.