Washington DC, USA: The World Shipping Council (WSC) has elected two co-chairmen to succeed the outgoing Ron Widdows. With immediate effect, Jeremy Nixon, CEO of ONE, and Rolf Habben Jansen, CEO of Hapag-Lloyd AG, have been chosen by the Board for a two year term. Meanwhile, John Butler, President & CEO, has welcomed the new members to WSC – Matson Navigation and X-Press Feeders.

The Finnish Shipowners’ Association has elected its new Board. Mikki Koskinen, Managing Director of ESL Shipping Ltd, is the new Chairman, who will serve a 2-year term. Previously a Vice Chaiman, he has already represented Finland on the Board of the International Chamber of Shipping.

Montréal, Québec, Canada: Montreal Port Authority has named Martin Imbleau to the position of President and CEO, with effect from 1st January, 2021, succeeding Sylvie Vachon, who on December 31, 2020 after a 30-year career at the MPA, including 11 years as CEO. Imbleau has held senior management positions for around 15 years and has extensive experience in strategy, operations, business development and managing major infrastructure projects. He joins the port from Hydro-Québec, where he was VP, Corporate Strategy and Business Development.

Daniel Deschodt, Commercial Director of the Port of Dunkirk, has been appointed interim CEO following the departure of Stéphane Raison to HAROPA LE Havre.

Basel, Switzerland: Heinz Amacker is stepping down as Managing Director of Danser Switzerland, after 22 years in post. He will be replaced by Kay Metzger. Amacker will continue to serve the multimodal barge and rail Danser Group in an advisory capacity.

Oakland, CA, USA: Navis, part of Cargotec Corporation, has appointed Kim Kuesel as Vice President and General Manager of the Americas. With over 20 years of supply chain experience, Ms Kuesel has held a variety of leadership positions where she focused on supply chain technology, management consulting and retail supply chain management. Her previous experience includes senior roles at Infor, GT Nexus, Clarkston Consulting, RH, and Williams Sonoma, where she was focused on accelerating innovation and growth through the use of technology.

Luleå, Sweden: Susanne Jangdal is stepping down as CEO of Shorelink AB, after 10 years in post and said she plans to eave the organisation by 30th June, 2021. During her term, ShoreLink took over all dry port operations in the Port of Luleå, on behalf of the port company and, at the end of September this year it won a 7-year concession to operate most of the facilities at the nearby port of Piteå, again on behalf of the local port company. The Board will begin a search for a new CEO shortly.

Associated British Ports (ABP) has appointed Simon Brown as Divisional Port Manager for Wales & South West in ABP’s Wales & Short Sea Ports (W&SSP) region – Cardiff, Newport, Barry, Port Talbot and Swansea and ABP’s two ports in the South West, in Teignmouth and Plymouth.  He will also be working closely with the W E. Dowds team in South Wales to grow the role of Newport as the UK’s number one port for finished steel. Before joining ABP in November, he was Port Director, Mersey for Peel Ports in Liverpool and prior to that, he had a long career in the shipping industry, working with Maersk between 2006 and 2018, having come through P&OCL and P&O Nedlloyd.

Coleshill, UK: Davies Turner has promoted Tony Cole to Head of Ocean to lead on its ocean freight forwarding services, building on his previous positions within the company. Cole replaces existing Head of Ocean, Kieron Larkin who is to lead a strategic review of the company’s computer systems and software that will underpin all its freight forwarding services.