Dylan Strijker

From Ships to Data to Plimsoll

I grew up around ships. My father was a captain, and some of my earliest memories are watching cargo operations from the bridge wing and learning to read navigation charts. That childhood gave me something invaluable: an intuitive understanding of how ships actually work and the reality of life at sea.

I moved into tech and data analysis, spending years working with data systems and building tools that help people make sense of complex information. Along the way, I kept noticing gaps in how the maritime industry uses data—not because the data doesn't exist, but because the tools to extract insights from it aren't always built by people who understand shipping.

Now I work at a maritime tech company by day and build data tools for shipping on the side. Plimsoll is where I share what I'm learning and building. The name comes from the Plimsoll line—that simple mark on a ship's hull that tells you exactly where the safe loading limit is. No ambiguity, no hype, just practical guidance.

I believe in building in public. The journey is the product. I share my progress, my mistakes, and my code because that's how we all learn faster.