Vertom Group
About us
Vertom was founded more than 45 years ago. Our experience and professional attitude mean that we are now an important player in the national and international market for cargo transport over water. However, we remain ambitious in improving and expanding our services.
Our history
Vertom was founded by Ton Pols in 1974. At the time, Vertom was located in the Rotterdam port district, employed 20 people and had three ships.
In 1981, the company expanded. We opened various offices in Belgium. In the mid-1980s, the first steps were taken to establish the liner service to the Caribbean.
Over the years, we have managed to continue our growth. In 1999, Vertom Shipping UK Ltd. started business and the first port offices were opened. In 2010, a merger took place with Unity Beheer (UCS) B.V., boosting the number of employees and activities.
Several years ago, we found a suitable site in Rhoon, where our office is the ideal base for our activities. Despite our growth, we are still an independent company with many family features. The name Vertom refers to our first boat: MV Vera Tomson.
Maritime agency for your port call? Vertom offers first-class services
For your port call you want to be able to rely on a professional and trusted partner. Vertom is an expert maritime agency with worldwide reach and over 45 years of experience. With our network in all major European ports, we ensure that your vessels can enter and leave ports smoothly. We also help you lighten your administrative burden by taking care of all the formalities with port authorities.
What does a maritime agency do?
A maritime agency takes care of all the transactions of a ship in every port that the ship visits or docks. The agents circulate essential information between service (port) providers, customs, port authorities and maritime pilots. By working together with all relevant parties, a maritime agent guarantees that a ship can dock on a port and leave it by the end of its operation without facing long waiting times or other problems. Read more about the role of a maritime agent here.
Maritime agency: why choose Vertom?
The unique combination of many years of experience and a high level of expertise makes Vertom an excellent choice as your maritime agency. With its origins in Dutch and Belgian seaports, Vertom has developed a presence in all major European ports. In each port we act as a linchpin between all important parties. Our agents assist with ship clearance, the complete administration, and formalities with port authorities. We have been doing so for years. All of the experts we employ know the port like the back of their hand and have a good understanding of the different sectors we service. This allows us to offer highly specialized and quality services for every type of ship and a variety of industries. Our agents work together with ship owners and charterers to anticipate the requirements of the ship, its crew and cargo, and the needs of the port authorities and customs. This way we ensure a fast vessel turn- around, combined with quick and accurate account settlements.
Maritime agency with an innovative focus
We are highly aware of the importance of first-class maritime agency services to our clients. Therefore, Vertom constantly invests in the expansion and optimization of its services, and in innovation to meet the needs of our customers. As part of this mission, we have the ambition to create an international network of agents so that we can help our clients – wherever they are in the world – as best as possible. Our offices currently span over 9 countries across 2 continents:
Netherlands – Vertom Agencies
Delfzijl, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Flushing, Terneuzen
Belgium – Vertom Shipping Belgium
Zeebrugge, Gent, Antwerp
United Kingdom – Vertom UK
All British ports
Germany – Vertom Network Agencies
Rostock, Weser, Ems, Hamburg, Bremen, Kiel canal, Emden, Wilhelmshaven
France – Vertom Network Agencies
Dunkirk, Rouen, Le Havre, Sete, Marseille, Fos, Lavera, Port La Nouvelle
Spain – Vertom Spanmed
All Spanish ports – Algeciras, Ceuta, Gibraltar
Greece – Vertom Hellas
All Greek ports
Turkey – Vertom Network Agencies
All Turkish ports, including passages through straits
Bulgaria – VFS Chartering
Bourgas and Varna
United States – Vertom Network Agencies
All ports – USEC, USG, USWC
