"The first time you step into one of these submarines, it is life changing."

I had no idea that submarines were being built in Breda. Can you tell me more about it?

We build submarines for private yacht owners and for the cruise industry. At the moment we are building 20 to 25 submarines here in Breda. Some 30 to 40 thousand parts need to be assembled before it is actually a submarine.

The founder and CEO of U-Boat Worx, Bert Houtman, was one of the founders of Exact Software in the Netherlands. After the company went public and had around 1600 employees, Bert wanted a change. He sold his shares, bought a yacht, and dreamed of a submarine like those in Jacques Cousteau films, but also different. He wanted to make a submarine that is not only suitable for scientific research, or for military applications, but is also suitable for a larger audience. 

He began building one of the first private submarines in 2005. Now it is 2022 and about 45 submarines have been built and delivered to the factory in Breda. To see the finished product after a long period of development, step into it and use it to dive a kilometer deep in the ocean is an incredible experience. The first time you step into one of these submarines, it is life-changing.

Why is the company based in Breda?

Breda is not a logical place to build a factory for manned underwater vehicles because the water here isn’t very clear (laughs). This location was chosen many large shipbuilding companies are located between 15 and 35 minutes away from Breda. These companies build superyachts, and we build the manned submarines that are sometimes purchased by them.  In addition, our largest suppliers are located in Brabant. And most of our engineers come from the technical universities in Eindhoven and Delft but are originally from Brabant. After their studies, they came back and started working at U-Boat Worx or other technical companies in the area. Our connection with Breda has grown naturally. We really feel connected to the city.

Is the entire submarine made here?

We do everything ourselves. We have our own engineering department but the construction also takes place here. However, U-Boat Worx company isn’t only located in Breda, we are growing worldwide. Our pilots are located all over the world and if a superyacht owner or a cruise ship needs a pilot, we fly them to them. Most of our submarines can go up to 300 meters deep and some up to 3 kilometers. This cannot be tested in the Netherlands because the water is only 40 to 50 meters deep. The nearest possible option for deeper testing is in Norway. Most fjords are 1500 meters deep, which makes it an ideal test location for us. In addition, we have our own training school for submarine pilots in Curaçao. There you can dive up to 300 meters depth. It is one of the most fantastic locations in which to test submarines.

This year we started series production of a new type of submarine. The first ten are now being produced. The idea behind switching to series production is to make submarines accessible to more people. Building larger production runs leads to lower costs. Perhaps a submarine will not cost less than a luxury car in the long run.

What is the magic of diving in a submarine for you?

I think it starts with adventure and adrenaline when you dive with a submarine, and you realize that 95 percent of the ocean hasn't been discovered yet. The chance that you will find something that has never been seen or researched before is quite high. The experience of a possible new discovery, that is something that draws me underwater every time.