Employers Newsletter

June 2024

The 2023 annual report has been published

Our 2023 annual report has been published. You can read more about our activities and results in the year under review in the annual report. We look back on a year in which the Dutch Senate passed the Dutch Future Pensions Act (Wtp). You can find the full annual report on our website. If you prefer the main points, then check out the infographic. 

The pensions were increased as of 1 June

The pensions at Bpf Koopvaardij were increased by 3.26%. In December 2023, we explained this increase in a letter and news item. We incorporated the increase as of 1 June 2024 into the pensions. Employees who build up or have built up pension will see the increased pension in My Koopvaardij at the end of June. Pensioners will receive the increased pension when pensions benefits are paid in June. 

Results of risk appetite survey

Early this year, we asked you how you feel about your pension and how much risk you are willing and able to accept in that regard.  The results of this survey were announced in early April. In our previous newsletter, we briefly shared some results with you. In this newsletter, we zoom in on them a little further.

Registering and deregistering employees abroad

The Bpf Koopvaardij pension scheme is compulsory for seafarers sailing under the Dutch flag and living in the Kingdom of the Netherlands, the European Union, the European Economic Area and a number of treaty countries. This means that if an employee relocates to a country where compulsory affiliation does not apply, you deregister this employee in the Koopvaardij Portal. For example, an employee relocating from the Netherlands to Argentina.

Employees residing in Ukraine are not covered by the compulsory affiliation and you do not register them with us.

How to calculate the daily wage of on-call or part-time workers

Do you employ on-call or part-time workers? We are happy to explain how to calculate the daily wage for these workers (information available in Dutch).

Pension build-up during parental leave and additional post-birth leave

Some collective agreements now stipulate that the employer will continue to pay the salary of the employee during the 9 weeks of parental leave and/or the 5 weeks of additional post-birth leave. Does this also apply to your employees? And does your employee make use of this leave mentioned in the collective agreement? In that case, as an employer, you should submit the pensionable salary during the parental leave of this employee and the additional post-birth leave to the Koopvaardij Portal. You employee will continue to build up pension with us during this leave. 

Questions about the new pension system

Now that the new Dutch Future Pensions Act has taken effect, we can well understand that you and your employees have questions. We therefore answer the most frequently asked questions about the new pension system.   

When will Bpf Koopvaardij implement the new rules?

Trade unions, employers and pension funds have until 1 January 2028 at the latest to switch to the new pension rules. But the switch may also take place earlier. Bpf Koopvaardij plans to switch to the new pension rules on 1 January 2026.

How satisfied are you with us?

Every three years, we investigate how satisfied you are with how we communicate with you. What is going well and what can still be improved? We will be investigating this again in the period ahead. You can expect an invitation to this survey soon.

Day of the Seafarer devoted to safety

The International Day of the Seafarer is celebrated each year on 25 June. This year's edition is devoted to a safe working environment. Organiser IMO is asking seafarers to share safety first tips on social media with the hashtag #SafetyTipsAtSea

Op Koers magazine will be published in July 

The fifth edition of our magazine Op Koers will be appearing in July. In Op Koers, you can read personal stories from the sector and pension information. This extended edition will therefore soon be on your mat or in your mailbox. If you want to re-read previous editions online, you can find them at www.koopvaardij.nl/en/opkoers.

Also interesting

• Women in maritime: an engineer's view (published by Nautilus)

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