Together with Willem Usselincx, Dierick Ruiters strongly opposed the participation of the Dutch West India Company in the slave trade.
[1] However, despite the efforts of anti-slavery advocates, including figures like playwright Gerbrand Adriaenszoon Bredero, the Dutch became increasingly involved in the profitable sugar trade, relying heavily on enslaved labor.
This led to a change in the policies of the Dutch West India Company in the 1630s, challenging their initial anti-slavery stance.
In addition to his maritime activities and anti-slavery stance, Dierick Ruiters contributed to documenting the voyages of his time.
[3] The practice of transporting cassava flour as provisions for sea journeys was also mentioned in a testimonial from the Spanish explorer Nicolas Monardès in 1580.