‘It is so much more than pressing a button’

As a young boy he went with his father to the terminals in the port of Rotterdam. Not because his father worked there, but to admire all those huge ships and impressive stacks of containers. It was there that the fascination for the shipping world was born. Now Jeremy Viola works as an operator at the Port Authority of the Municipality of The Hague.

At Scheveningen Traffic Control Centre Jeremy closely monitors three bridges and two tunnels. In mid-December a third tunnel will be added: the Victory Boogie Woogie tunnel at the Rotterdamsebaan, the road that will then connect the A4 and A13 at Ypenburg junction with the city centre of The Hague. “I have worked since May 2019 at this combined traffic control centre,” he tells us. “At our workplace we have three disciplines: an operator for the bridges and tunnels, a vessel traffic manager for the shipping traffic and furthermore, we have shore services. At our traffic control centre no two days are the same. As an operator you need to be sharp every minute of the day, because anything can happen. It is a responsible job and that’s what makes my work so enjoyable.”

Trained as a maritime officer
Operating bridges and tunnels was not what he exactly had in mind when he was a child. When after secondary school he visited the open days of the Shipping and Transport College in Rotterdam, he was impressed when he saw the bridge simulator. “The realistic 360-degree screen gave the impression that you were actually sailing. The idea of sailing on a ship and seeing the world appealed to me very much. I then decided to take the 4-year maritime officer training course.”

Jeremy at the Scheveningen Traffic Control Centre.

Into the great wide world
He finished his training successfully and started to work at Royal Wagenborg. “I worked there as a maritime officer for two years with much pleasure and I sailed the seven seas. I sailed a lot in Europe, but also to countries such as China, Japan, Australia, the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan. I was away from home for three months and then always one month at home. I had a great time, but it could also be tough. In the end I missed home and I decided it was time for something new. I took a job as a surveyor, at which I carried out inspections on seagoing vessels and conducted research into damages.”

Training at NNVO
After five years it was time for a change again. Jeremy took the NNVO basic training to become a bridge and lock operator, and also the remote operation course. “Before I started the training, I thought: how difficult can it be? You press the button and the bridge opens. Of course, I know better now. The trainer would talk enthusiastically about the job and shared his personal experiences, which made the lessons never boring. I learned a lot at NNVO and after the training I had a clear picture of what to expect.”

The harbour of Scheveningen.

At the traffic control centre
Now that he works as an operator at Scheveningen Traffic Control Centre he has found his niche. Among other things, Jeremy is responsible for the safe operating of the Trekvlietbrug and the Binckhorstbrug. “These are bridges that are crossed by a lot of land traffic and they are operated several times a day. Furthermore, I’m in charge of the Laakbrug, which opens less frequently. This bridge has six traffic lanes and two tramlines, and is not operated unless at least two vessel traffic managers are physically present. We have seven camaras on this bridge, but you cannot monitor everything remotely. If you are on the spot, you look around and get a much better picture of the traffic situation.”

Assess traffic situation
Nowadays at the traffic control centre, Jeremy carefully considers every day again: when shall I open the bridge? But also: is there flee flow of traffic in the tunnels? “It is so much more than just pressing a button,” he smiles. “Before I open a bridge, I first accurately assess the traffic situation. Is there no approaching ambulance with emergency lights flashing? Are the traffic lights on green and is a steady stream of cars approaching? Or is it raining and are cyclists approaching? In that case I wait until they have passed. This means embedding safety as well as being service-oriented towards land traffic. At the same time a ship is approaching that wants to proceed. In this job you have to stay focussed all the time, and that’s what makes it interesting.”

Jeremy Viola

Age: 28
Educational training:  Maritime Officer, bridge and lock operator
Position: operator at the Port Authority and Traffic Control Centre
Employer: Municipality of The Hague
Work experience: 8 years