When Gabriel Milan was appointed governor in 1684, Heins accompanied him to the West Indies, and would succeed him in the event of his death (after Niels Lassen who was the direct successor).
[1] When Milan's rule fell into disfavor with the Danish administration in 1686 and he was removed from office, he gave the charge of the fortress to Heins.
[3] The official reporter, Andrew Brock, said about the incidents (in a letter to Albert Gyldensparre): "May God in heaven aid him (Heins) oto carry on his government better than his predecessors, which I expect him to do, as he has shown himself only as an honest and upright man.
"[3] After the initial confusion of the Milan deposition, Adolph Esmit was reinstated as governor in 1687, leaving Heins as vice-governor.
However, this rule was short, as the company quickly found that Esmit was unable to fulfill his obligations in a satisfactory manner, and he was recalled to Denmark the year after.