WORK BOAT WORLD:
XMAR, a Cyprus-based maritime technology company, has welcomed Hans-Christian Mordhorst as its new Chief Executive Officer.
Mordhorst brings more than 25 years of experience in the maritime industry, including a decade of leadership in maritime technology ventures. He previously served as Chief Commercial Officer at the Marcura Group, a maritime digital solutions provider, where he oversaw transformative technology initiatives for ports and shipping operations.
Prior to that, he was CEO of DA-Desk and also held senior leadership roles at A.P. Moller-Maersk and P&O Nedlloyd, managing large regional business units.
Stephen McMahon has been promoted from Product Support Manager to Vice President of Product Support at Louisiana-based DSC Dredge.
McMahon started at DSC Dredge in 2011 in the hydraulic and mechanic shop. He eventually started working on numerous projects across the US, eventually evolving into him taking on leadership roles and managing major dredger builds and overhauls.
Greg Stahel has meanwhile joined DSC Dredge's leadership team as Director of Manufacturing. In this role, he reports to Nicky Giarratano, DSC’s Vice President of Manufacturing, and brings a wealth of leadership experience across multiple industries to further strengthen DSC’s operations.
Stahel served eight years in the US Navy, 19 years in the construction industry, and 10 years in the chemical industry – all in leadership roles. He holds an accounting degree from Louisiana State University and an MBA from the University of West Florida.
Effective from May 1, 2025, Ørsted will expand its group executive team by appointing two new members, reporting to Group President and CEO, Rasmus Errboe.
Amanda Dasch has been appointed Chief Development Officer and will head up Ørsted Commercial, which covers commercial development activities across Ørsted’s three regions (Europe, Americas, and APAC).
Dasch is currently CEO of Region Americas at Ørsted and has 20 years of leadership experience from the energy industry. She will relocate to Denmark and will continue as interim CEO of Region Americas until her successor has been found.
Godson Njoku has meanwhile been appointed Chief Generation Officer and will be leading Ørsted Generation, holding the overall responsibility for the performance of Ørsted’s European fleet of energy-generating assets.
Njoku will be based in the UK and joins Ørsted after 20 years with Shell, where he held a number of senior executive roles, including serving as Executive Vice President with responsibility for Global Production Excellence in Shell’s Upstream Business Leadership Team.
ShipIn Systems, a maritime AI technology company, has appointed Daniela Krispin as Chief Technology Officer.
With over 20 years of experience leading R&D teams in both startup and corporate environments, Krispin brings a wealth of expertise in developing SaaS products and highly scalable AI-driven systems.
Prior to joining ShipIn, she served as Vice President of Research at Amdocs, Augury, and Novidea , where she led the development of complex AI-powered solutions across diverse industries. Her experience spans from building large-scale telecommunication platforms at Amdocs to pioneering physical AI in manufacturing at Augury and driving innovation in insurance technology at Novidea.
Stevens Towing Company, a family-owned company with longstanding roots in the maritime industry, has announced a number of key leadership promotions.
Bos Smith has been promoted to Vice President. With more than 36 years of dedicated service to Stevens Towing, Smith has extensive knowledge of the company and the maritime industry in general.
Ross Miller has been named Vice President of Sales and Business Development. He brings a deep understanding of the field and specialises in fostering new business opportunities, particularly in projects related to shipyard, logistics, and heavy lift services.
Kurt Olsen, a member of the Stevens Towing team for eight years, has been promoted to Vice President of Shipyard Operations. In this expanded role, he will continue to oversee and optimise shipyard performance.
Joining the leadership team as Vice President of Marine Operations is Ben Peterson, a seasoned professional with over 30 years of marine experience. He has an extensive background as a vessel captain and in senior management roles, having sailed across all American coastlines, the Great Lakes, and international waters.
In his new role, Peterson will oversee the safety and operations of all floating equipment.
Rachid Houari has been appointed to lead ferry operations in the Strait of Gibraltar as the new Managing Director for ferry company Africa Morocco Link (AML).
Houari has done his BSc in shipping operations in Southampton, his MBA at ENPC Paris, and has more than 25 years of maritime experience in ferry, Ro-Ro, and port operations in the shipping sector between Morocco and Spain.
Most recently, he held the position of Managing Director for three logistics zones companies within the Tangier Med Group, where he previously also had responsibilities for both port and ferry operations.
As Managing Director for AML in Morocco, Houari will be responsible for managing the two freight and travel routes between Tanger Med and Algeciras, as well as the high-speed route between Tanger Ville and Tarifa.
New Zealand-based marine technology company Vessev has expanded into the US market with the appointment of Josh Trout as Director of North America.
In this role, Trout will lead the establishment of Vessev’s US operations, oversee the production of Vessev craft in the US, and develop and streamline the company’s business development.
Marotta Controls, a provider of aerospace and defence systems, has promoted Bryan Begane to Vice President, Naval Systems. Begane will succeed Marilyn Petite, who will retire this spring after 25 years of service with the company.
In his new role, Begane will oversee the strategic direction and expansion of Marotta’s naval business. He will also lead the integration of next-generation technologies, including additive manufacturing and advanced actuation systems.
Begane, a University of South Carolina graduate with a dual concentration in Business Economics and Finance and an MBA from Monmouth University, started his career in the financial sector before moving into the defence industry with L3Harris Technologies.
The International Association of Dredging Companies has appointed Arnold de Bruijn as its new Secretary-General, succeeding René Kolman, who has held the post since 2008. Kolman will retire on November 1 of this year and, following a transition period, De Bruijn will formally take over the role of Secretary-General.
De Bruijn began his career at Royal IHC, where he worked for nearly 12 years in various roles, including Manager of Development for Cutter Suction Dredgers and Manager of Engineering.
He also has experience in the trade association sector. For the last eight and a half years, he worked at Netherlands Maritime Technology, holding various positions with the last two years as Team Lead Sector Management and a member of the management team.
Javier Suárez has taken over the role of Managing Director of Danish naval architecture firm Knud E. Hansen, succeeding Finn Wollesen Petersen.
Suárez joined the company in 2017 as Director of Operations. His maritime career began in 1995 when he graduated with an MSc in naval architecture and marine engineering from Universidad Politécnica de Madrid.
Following this, he served in diverse roles, including at the Astilleros de Huelva Shipyard, where he worked for over a decade in commercial and technical roles, and Voith Schneider, where he undertook commercial and senior management roles including Vice President Marine Americas for Voith Turbo.
SHIP WORLD:
Waterways Council, the US national public policy organisation advocating for modern and well-maintained ports and inland waterways, has welcomed Miranda Lang as its new Operations Manager.
Lang previously served as University Advancement Reporting Analyst at American University in Washington, DC. Prior to this position, she was Assistant Director for Annual Giving, Alumni Relations Coordinator, Interim Alumni Programs Assistant, and Senior Administrative Assistant at American University.
Lang is a 2017 graduate of American University.
Georg Matzku has been appointed Commercial Director in charge of Northern Europe at shore power specialist NatPower Marine. His appointment is part of the company’s planned expansion and strategic growth.
Matzku joins NatPower Marine following more than six years as Director of Shore Power at Wabtec Corporation. He also serves on the executive board of directors at the European Onshore Power Supply Association.
Karen Voss and Brian Munzlinger have been appointed as the newest commissioners with the Mid-America Port Commission (MAPC).
Voss serves as the Chief Financial Officer at Ursa Farmers Cooperative Company, where she has dedicated nearly 25 years. She earned her certified public accountant certification in 1997 and graduated from Quincy University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting.
Additionally, she spent seven years in higher education administration at John Wood Community College.
Munzlinger is a lifelong farmer and former state legislator with extensive experience in agriculture, trade, and infrastructure policy. He served as a Missouri State Senator from 2011 to 2019 and as a State Representative from 2003 to 2010, where he chaired the Missouri House of Representatives' Agriculture, Food Production, and Outdoor Resources Committee.
Munzlinger earned his Bachelor of Science in general agriculture from the University of Missouri in Columbia.
Crowley Maritime Corporation has named Jenny Fuss as its Chief Financial Officer (CFO), leading all of the company's financial strategies and operations to enhance economic performance and business growth.
Fuss has more than 20 years of experience as an executive for global institutions. Before joining Crowley, she was CFO of Boart Longyear, a global mining services and equipment company. Prior to that, she served as divisional CFO and later vice president of global financial services and systems at Eaton Corporation.
Fuss also served 20 years in financial roles at Siemens. She holds an Advanced Certificate for Executives in Management, Innovation, and Technology from MIT Sloan School of Management and a diploma in economics from FOM University of Applied Sciences for Economics and Management in Germany.