Pieter S. Heerema

Born in Amsterdam, Pieter S. Heerema left lasting marks on the international offshore industry. He first came to prominence in the 1950s in Lake Maracaibo, Venezuela, where he pioneered the use of prestressed concrete piles that proved ideally suited for the demands of the region. In the early 1960s, he returned to his native Holland and became an early leader in North Sea construction. He led the way in the development of giant semi-submersible derrick and lay barges which revolutionized offshore construction by allowing for the design and installation of much larger platforms.