PortXL is the world’s first port & maritime accelerator, founded in 2015 and based in Rotterdam — the beating heart of global trade and innovation. We bridge the gap between ambitious start-ups and scale-ups and the established maritime industry, working alongside corporate partners, investors and ecosystem leaders to make maritime climate-positive. We search, match and accelerate the newest technologies from around the world. Our home is the Innovation Dock at RDM Campus: an inspiring hub where shipbuilding history meets the future of shipping, energy, logistics and ports.
What You’ll Be DoingAs our Branding & Communication intern, you are the creative voice of PortXL — translating our mission and the energy of maritime innovation into compelling content for our online and offline audiences. You will work closely with the team to build brand visibility and tell the stories of the innovators we support.
- Manage PortXL’s LinkedIn page and website, creating and scheduling content that engages our global community;
- Translate PortXL’s marketing vision and news into posts, newsletters, articles and visual assets;
- Highlight the successes of our portfolio start-ups and corporate partners through storytelling;
- Support the team with event communications, including Upstream Festival and other flagship gatherings;
- Monitor brand visibility and engagement metrics and suggest improvements;
- Maintain a consistent visual identity across all PortXL communications;
- Keep up to date on trends in the maritime innovation space to ensure relevant and timely content.
- An energetic, mission-driven team with a shared ambition to transform the maritime industry;
- Access to an international network of start-ups, scale-ups and maritime innovators;
- Involvement with our corporate partners, including the Port of Rotterdam, City of Rotterdam and the Ministry of Defense;
- Room to discover your interests, think creatively and take real ownership;
- An inspiring workspace at the Innovation Dock, RDM Campus, Rotterdam;
- Opportunities to attend maritime events, demo days and ecosystem gatherings;
- Personal and professional development;
- Compensation: €575 per month based on 36 hours per week. Part-time is possible with a minimum of 24 hours per week; our preference is 32–36 hours. A minimum of 3 days per week from the office;
- Duration: minimum 5 months, with a preference for 6–7 months.
Our internships don’t follow a fixed calendar — we welcome applications year-round. Please mention your desired start date in your application. For internships starting in August or September, our application deadline is 1 May.
What You Bring- Currently enrolled in the later phases of your Bachelor’s or Master’s degree, for example in Communication, Marketing, Journalism, Media or a related field;
- More important than your exact field of study: you have a genuine passion for branding and storytelling — your creativity and feel for audience is what makes you stand out;
- Creative eye for design and content; experience with tools like Canva, Adobe Creative Suite, WordPress or similar is a plus;
- Hands‑on experience with social media management (internship or personal projects count);
- Interested in entrepreneurship, maritime, sustainability or innovation;
- Excellent written English; Dutch is a strong plus, any other language is welcome.
€575 - €575 monthly