Name: Yvo

Position on board: 2nd Engineer

Nationality: Dutch

History with Greenpeace: I started my sailing career in 1995 as an apprentice on board a LPG (Liquid Petroleum Gas) tanker. I stayed with that company as a second engineer for several years. Then I worked for some different companies, also as a second. For the last year, I've been working at the wastewater purification plant for the city of Amsterdam, and decided that I could not get used to the life on shore. After seeing an advertisement for the Esperanza, I thought "why not?"

Favourite thing about the Esperanza: The thing I like best about the Esperanza is the general way the engine room is set up. There are two main engines for conventional propulsion; a new auxiliary engine has been placed, which gives us the opportunity for diesel/electric propulsion. The advantage of d/e propulsion is that it saves us about 60% in the fuel consumption.

Also, there is a sewage treatment instillation that biologically cleans the sewage and gives us a waste product we use for flushing the toilets - saving fresh water.

Lots of other changes where made to the technical instillation during the conversion, but far too many to mention.

Favourite forest: I grew up near the coast of south Holland, and unfortunately there are no forests in that area, but there are beaches and dunes. Those are my favourite places. The law, and the fact that they are well looked after, protects the area. The place I grew up is also in the heart of the flower growing grounds, and that gives the area a spectacular sight, especially in the spring and summer.

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