Our Mission
Based on long experience, we offer a wide variety of services.
The 2th generation is running operations of our day-to-day business.
We stand for personal, reliable and we want to provide the best service. We are available 24/7.
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We specialize exclusively in the shipping industry, offering a variety of services. For years, we have maintained strong partnerships with numerous agencies. We also transport passengers on various vessels who make a wonderful journey with the crew. Regular liners that return to the Rotterdam ports every week. No challenge is too big for us! Want to learn more? Feel free to reach out to us.
How it started
Crewservice Wols was founded in 1978 by Leo Wols, who was well-known in Rotterdam shipping under the name Taxi Wols. Leo started with just one car, transporting seafarers to and from various terminals throughout the Netherlands and abroad. He carried a beeper with him, and whenever agencies needed him, he would find the nearest phone booth to make contact.
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As time went on, his company grew. Leo had many drivers working for him, and when the first mobile phones became available, he equipped his Mercedes with a large phone battery so he could make mobile calls while on the road. From handling cash to master payments, dining with the crew on board, coordinating with the river police, securing the terminals, and maintaining contacts with the port health center, Leo had countless incredible stories about his company.
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In the 1990s, a captain once suggested that Leo join him on his boat to Greece so that Leo could take a vacation. Leo arranged the paperwork and packed his suitcase. However, Leo became seasick, and at the first stop in the Port of Antwerp, he disembarked and was picked up by a taxi driver. Although Leo had a deep love for seafarers, he knew he would never board a ship again. This story still reflects the personal relationships Leo built with agencies, captains, and crew members.
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Leo Wols built strong relationships with large clients and had an extensive network. He co-founded several taxi companies with partners, some of which still exist today and grow, partly thanks to Leo's work. He always believed that the most important thing was ensuring the customer was helped and that the work was completed.
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Leo's son, Raymond, started as a water clerk before becoming a driver for his father's company. He learned all the ins and outs of the business.
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In 2016, Raymond took over the company, allowing Leo to enjoy his well-deserved early retirement. Unfortunately, Leo passed away in August 2022, only a short time later. We miss him every day—not only for his knowledge about the company but, most of all, as a loving father and grandfather.
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Under Raymond's leadership, the company continues to provide excellent service. While the stories from Leo's time are no longer told, we still carry on the important work that we do every day. The stories of the seafarers, the experiences they have, are also stories that we pass on to the third generation of Wols.
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