Nancy Scheijven — Rotterdam waterfront
Inland waterways · Public–private · Europe

Navigating
the
future.

Koers
naar de
toekomst.

Connecting government, port authorities and private companies in the inland waterway sector. Moving policy into practice — and practice into policy.

Rijkswaterstaat ·COMEX — 13 countries ·Remote sailing legislation ·Port authorities ·EU maritime policy ·Interim management ·Change management ·Inland waterways ·Rijkswaterstaat ·COMEX — 13 countries ·Remote sailing legislation ·Port authorities ·EU maritime policy ·Interim management ·Change management ·Inland waterways ·
Available for new assignments — interim management & change management
Public–private · Maritime sector · Legislation & policy · Organisational change

I speak both languages — policy and practice.

I'm Nancy Scheijven — director, connector, and someone who genuinely can't sit still when something needs to change. After 25 years moving between government and the private sector in inland waterways, I founded Nenseas to do what I do best: translate.

Not from Dutch to English. From ministerial intent to operational reality. From a shipowner's frustration to a regulator's framework. That gap is where Nenseas lives — and where I've spent my whole career.

Current assignment via Nenseas
Strategic Business Director — Seafar
Opening new waterways and regulatory areas for crewing-reduced navigation across the Netherlands and Europe — at the intersection of industry, politics and legislation.
What this work is really about
Waar dit werk echt om draait
Building relationships with regulators, port authorities and policymakers at NL and EU level Relaties opbouwen met toezichthouders, havenbedrijven en beleidsmakers op NL- en EU-niveau
Unlocking new shipping routes for crewing-reduced operations in ports and inland waterways Nieuwe vaarroutes vrijmaken voor bemanningsreduceerde operaties in havens en binnenwateren
Creating pathways for regulatory acceptance and standardisation — CCNR, ADN, IMO, EU commissions Trajecten creëren voor regelgevende acceptatie en standaardisatie — CCNR, ADN, IMO, EU-commissies
Not a sales role — a top-level influence position focused on strategic breakthroughs and removing entry barriers Geen salesfunctie — een invloed- en enablement-positie gericht op strategische doorbraken en het wegnemen van toetredingsdrempels
Nancy Scheijven
01
Director at Rijkswaterstaat — led 1,000 FTE responsible for all shipping traffic and water management across the Netherlands
02
Chair of COMEX — European shipping information forum spanning 13 countries
03
Managing Director EMEA — Tidalis (former role, prior to founding Nenseas)
04
Lifelong water person — windsurfing, paddleboarding, sailing. The waterway is not just work, it's home.
Experience & background

25 years at the intersection of public and private.

Available for interim management and change management assignments in the maritime, infrastructure and public-private domain. Here's the track record behind that offer.

2023 — present
Founder & Director
Nenseas

Founded Nenseas to connect government, port authorities and private companies in the inland waterway sector. Current assignment: Strategic Business Director at Seafar — working on remote sailing legislation and commercial strategy.

Oct 2023 — 2024
Managing Director EMEA
Tidalis (formerly Saab) · Apeldoorn

Led transformation of maritime technology organisation toward software-driven services. Responsible for international collaboration with ports and waterway authorities. Connecting commercial, operational and technological interests within public and private ecosystems.

Oct 2022 — Sep 2023
Strategic Adviser / Interim Director
Andersson Elffers Felix · Utrecht

Assignments at the intersection of governance, operations and sustainability. Including research into sustainable asset management funding at Rijkswaterstaat and coaching executives in water safety programmes.

Sep 2017 — Sep 2022
Director Shipping Traffic & Water Management / CEO Drones
Rijkswaterstaat · Utrecht

Responsible for reliable and safe shipping, water management and crisis control. Led 1,000 FTE across the Netherlands. Drove digitalisation and collaboration between government, ports, water boards and safety regions. International chair of COMEX and DIWA European programmes.

Nov 2013 — Aug 2017
Director Network Management
Rijkswaterstaat West Nederland Noord · Haarlem

Responsible for management, maintenance and construction of infrastructure in Noord-Holland. Strengthened collaboration with provinces, municipalities, water boards and port companies. Focus on ecology in the North Sea Canal area.

Before 2013
Director & Management roles
Rijkswaterstaat · Ministry of OCW · Ordina · Ormit

Various director and management roles within Rijkswaterstaat and the Ministry of Education, with focus on operations, governance, communications and organisational development. Career started at Ordina and Ormit.

Education
1993–1996
Universiteit MaastrichtEconomics / International Management — Diploma
1995
Universidad de BarcelonaEconomia Espanola — Certificate
1987–1993
Hogeschool EindhovenHEAO Bedrijfseconomie — Diploma
Languages
Nederlands English Deutsch Español
Governance & board roles
Chair of COMEX — European shipping information programme across 13 countries
Chair of national consultative structures on shipping safety and digitalisation
Member of Rijkswaterstaat crisis team — strategic decision-making during national emergencies
Involved in European programmes for sustainable mobility and digitalisation in the maritime sector

What I do
for you

01
Interim management

Experienced director available for interim roles in maritime, infrastructure and public-private organisations. I step in, take ownership, and make things move — while building lasting capability in your team.

Interim · Leadership
02
Change management

I guide organisations through complex transitions — whether that's a shift in strategy, a new regulatory environment, a merger, or a cultural change. Trust, ownership and collaboration are my tools.

Change · Strategy
03
Public–private advisory

I connect government, port authorities and private companies — translating between policy intent and commercial reality, facilitating legislation, and making sure the right voices are in the room when it matters.

Advisory · Policy
Insights

Thinking out loud — on the sector that shapes Europe's waterways

What remote sailing legislation actually means — and what it doesn't

A plain-language breakdown of what's changing, what's still unclear, and what you should be doing right now.

ReadLees
Governments and shipowners are talking past each other. Here's the translation.

Why the disconnect happens, what each side gets wrong, and how to fix it before legislation gets locked in.

ReadLees
Why the Netherlands should lead Europe on autonomous inland shipping

We have the infrastructure, the expertise, and the political will. What we're missing is coordination — and that's fixable.

ReadLees

The right conversation at the right moment changes everything.

Whether you're a port authority trying to get ahead of new legislation, a shipowner navigating uncertainty, a tech company that needs someone who understands both sides — or an organisation that needs an experienced interim director to lead change. Reach out.

nancy.scheijven@nenseas.nl