Roelof completed his study of Maritime Engineering at the Willem Barentsz Maritime Institute on Terschelling.

In the subsequent nine years he worked as a maritime engineer on various types of ships (general cargo ships, bulk carriers, container ships) operated by Nedlloyd Lines. After that he worked for two years as a project manager on new-build ships at Wolfard & Wessels (a branch of Conoship) in Groningen. In this function he was responsible for the fitting and completion of engine-room installations in sea-going vessels.

Roelof entered employment as a surveyor with Van Ameyde in Amsterdam in 1987, and moved to Verschoor & Bras in 1991. Since then, he has been working as an all-round surveyor in deep-sea and inland shipping. In addition, within Verschoor & Bras he has specialized in surveying sea-going and inland shipping vessels and is a registered valuator accredited by the VRT (United Register of Appraisers).

In 2001 Roelof became a partner and in 2006 he became a managing director of Verschoor & Bras. With the takeover of Marinco Survey in 2013 and Marintec Expertise in 2017, he has extended his management responsibilities.

Roelof Boerma stepped down from his role as Director of Verschoor & Bras B.V. on 1st October 2025. Having reached the retirement age, he has decided to take a step back. Despite his departure from the management team, Roelof remains closely connected to Verschoor & Bras as an expert and consultant on a freelance basis. His years of knowledge and experience will continue to be available to both our colleagues and clients, ensuring his ongoing contribution to the quality and continuity of our services.

With his expertise in marine engineering and maritime valuations, Roelof will continue to contribute to the further development of Verschoor & Bras, even in his new role.