Read the story of

Anneli - Subsea engineer

Read the story of

Anneli - Subsea engineer

With a background in aerospace engineering and a passion for seeing tangible results, Anneli Lammers found her way into offshore engineering. She first joined Van Oord as a graduate student and has now been part of the company for more than four years as a subsea engineer. Based in Rotterdam, Anneli balances technical analysis with offshore project work, always eager to see how her designs come to life at sea.

I started out studying aerospace engineering in Delft, but during my master I realized I wanted something more practical. Designing an aircraft can take decades, too long for me. Offshore engineering felt more dynamic, with results you can see within months instead of years. I did my graduation at Van Oord, and I enjoyed it so much that I stayed on after finishing my degree. In my first years, I worked on analysis and engineering support, but soon I picked up my first big project: Guyana. We spent over a year preparing in the office, and then I joined the offshore project on and off for about a year. That was an amazing experience – to see how all the models and calculations translate into reality on a vessel. Once you’ve been offshore, your perspective changes. It helps you understand what really matters when making engineering decisions later on.

Exploring different roles

After Guyana, I took on a coordinating role in the cables and pipelines team. It was a great opportunity to support colleagues and manage interfaces, but I realized that my passion lies in running projects myself and seeing the results offshore. That’s why I’m now moving back into a more project-focused role. For me, that’s where the energy comes from.

Exploring different roles

A day in the life

A typical day starts with coffee and a chat with colleagues. From there, it’s a mix of team meetings and deep focus work. We use tools like Python and OrcaFlex to model offshore operations, from cable installations to vessel motions. The goal is to ensure equipment integrity and optimize how we work. Sometimes that means setting clear weather limits, other times it’s about finding smarter ways to execute operations together with the offshore teams.

Proud moments and looking ahead

What I like about Van Oord is the open culture. People are approachable, and you’re allowed to make mistakes, which is important when you’re learning. One highlight for me was helping to transform a bare barge into a fully equipped pipelaying vessel on a tight deadline. It was a real team effort, from the analysis team to the yard crew, and although the project had its challenges, I’m proud of what we achieved together. Looking ahead, I want to broaden my scope beyond cable installation to include areas like scour protection. I enjoy being close to the projects and clients, and I’m excited to keep learning and expanding my expertise in the years to come.