Who’s Who: Maritime Movements for March/April 2022

WORK BOAT WORLD:

The International Marine Contractors Association (IMCA) has appointed Jason Veerasingam as Director of Client Engagement for Asia Pacific.

Veerasingam is experienced in working with engineering consultants, leading EPC contractors and offshore service providers. In the last 25 years, his focus in the South East Asia market has enabled him to build successful business development strategies for national and international companies in the region.

Veerasingam’s last role was as the Area Manager at Boskalis Offshore. He was responsible for the business development of their suite of offshore services including the decommissioning of offshore assets in the region.

Brookes Bell, the leading multi-disciplinary technical and scientific consultancy for the marine and energy sectors, has appointed Martin Twomey as Director of Brookes Bell USA to lead the company’s ambitious growth strategy in the region.

Twomey is a Chartered Marine Engineer with a First-Class Certificate of Competency and spent 18 years at sea sailing on LPG tankers, containers, bulk and reefer vessels. He then moved ashore to work in ship management with a major German shipowner before joining Brookes Bell in 2018.

Twomey has additional qualifications in marine surveying, naval architecture, drydock planning and management, oil, gas and petrochemical shipping and was based in Shanghai, China as Brookes Bell’s Director of Marine Engineering Asia, before moving to Houston, USA in January.

Fuel supply systems specialist Auramarine has confirmed the appointment of Henri Räty as Director of Engineering and Products based in Lieto, Finland.

As a shipbuilding engineer with extensive experience in project management and technical engineering in the maritime industry, Räty will participate in the design management and strategic oversight of Auramarine’s range of fuel supply systems and solutions for both conventional and alternative fuels.

Räty joins Auramarine from Meyer Turku, where he was Technical Manager with the responsibility for the design of shipbuilding projects. His previous experience includes project and engineering management roles at the Citec Group, the ALMACO Group and Rolls Royce.

Rauma Marine Constructions‘ (RMC) Board of Directors has appointed Mika Laurilehto, M.Sc. (Eng.), as interim CEO. Laurilehto, who is also responsible for planning, joined RMC in 2020. Prior to that, he held management positions at MV Werften in Germany and as CEO of Deltamarin in Finland from 2005 to 2017.

Simultaneously, the management of the Squadron 2020 project for the Finnish Navy has been renewed. Timo Suistio, RMC’s Executive Vice President, will retire in the autumn of 2022. Retired Finnish Navy Captain Timo Ståhlhammar has been appointed as the new Project Manager for the Squadron 2020 project. Ståhlhammar has worked at RMC since 2016 as the Project Manager for the combat systems utilised in the Squadron 2020 project. Prior to joining RMC, Stålhammar was Finland’s Defence Attaché in the United States.

Until his retirement, Suistio will continue to support the Squadron 2020 project and sales projects as a Senior Advisor.

Huntington Ingalls Industries (HII) has confirmed the appointment of Donny Dorsey as vice president of operations at HII’s Ingalls Shipbuilding division. Dorsey, formerly ship program manager for all DDG waterfront efforts at Ingalls Shipbuilding, replaces George Jones, who retired on April 1 after 37 years of service.

In Dorsey’s new position, he will oversee all manufacturing operations through delivery, across all Ingalls Shipbuilding programs. He will also be responsible for working collaboratively with union partners, cost and schedule performance, process improvements and driving production strategies.

Dorsey joined Ingalls Shipbuilding in 2000 as a robotic operations technician and spent a portion of his career focused on the Gulfport composite operations for LPD/DDG 1000 serving as quality manager, operations director and then site director. Most recently, Dorsey served in program management with a focus on the DDG 51 class where he and his team managed the installation, test and activation of multiple complex ship systems. He holds a bachelor’s degree in management from Nicholls State University, an MBA in project management from Capella University and is a graduate of the Gulf Coast Business Council’s Masters Leadership Program.

Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Commandant Admiral Artemio M, Abu has been appointed as the new Chairperson of the Regional Cooperation Agreement on Combating Piracy and Armed Robbery against Ships in Asia Information Sharing Centre (ReCAAP ISC) Governing Council. This occurred after the unanimous endorsement of 21 ReCAAP Contracting Parties during the 16th ReCAAP ISC Governing Council meeting held in Singapore on March 15.

Abu will be serving at the helm of the ReCAAP ISC Governing Council from up to March 31, 2024. He succeeded former PCG Commandant Admiral George V Ursabia Jr as Chairperson of the ReCAAP ISC Governing Council.

Effective July 1, 2022, Christian Burgauer will take over as new Managing Director for Svitzer Argentina, replacing long-time Managing Director, Kees van den Borne, who has decided to pursue new opportunities outside of Argentina.

Burgauer has been with Svitzer Argentina since its establishment and has worked closely with Kees van den Borne in establishing Svitzer’s presence and position in Argentina. He has been Chief Financial Officer with Svitzer Argentina since 2017.

Battery manufacturer Echandia has expanded in the Danish market through the appointment of Morten Larsen as head of business development in Denmark.

Larsen is the former Chief Technology Officer of Fjord Line. He has an extensive background in the maritime industry.

The Board of Seadrill has confirmed the appointment of Simon Johnson as President and Chief Executive Officer. He will replace Stuart Jackson as President and Chief Executive Officer with immediate effect.

Johnson has significant experience in the offshore drilling industry, having previously served as Chief Executive Officer of Borr Drilling, and in various roles with Noble Corporation, including most recently as Senior Vice President – Marketing and Contracts, Diamond Offshore and Seadrill.

Johnson’s early career saw exposure to various rig and shore-based operational roles for MODUs in South East Asia before migrating to more commercially focused roles including Senior Vice President – Marketing and Contracts at Noble Corporation and Chief Executive Officer of Borr Drilling. He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Economics and Finance) from Curtin University and has completed the Advanced Management Program at Harvard Business School.

XOcean has confirmed the appointment of Shepard Smith as Chief Technology Officer (CTO) in the latest expansion of their leadership team. Smith brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to XOcean with his background in hydrographic survey and new technology implementation, having served 28 years as a commissioned officer with the US Department of Commerce National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

At NOAA, Smith rose to the rank of Rear Admiral and was closely involved in advancing state-of-the-art hydrography and nautical cartography. His 10 years of working at sea included tours in Alaska, the Pacific, and the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and four years as the Commanding Officer and Chief Scientist of the NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson.

In his final role with NOAA, he served as Director of the Office of Coast Survey, where he oversaw the US national programs in hydrography and nautical cartography. Smith also represented the United States at the International Hydrographic Organisation and regional hydrographic commissions.

Subsea 7 has confirmed that Marcelo Xavier has joined its Executive Management Team as Executive Vice President Strategy and Sustainability, effective from April 1, 2022.

Xavier joined Subsea 7 in 2001 and has held a number of operational and commercial roles in the UK, Brazil and Africa. Most recently he was Group Vice President Sales and Marketing and prior to this he was Vice President Brazil.

Jesper Mikkelsen Heilbuth will take up the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of Scandlines on July 1, 2022, and join the shipping company’s executive board, reporting to CEO Carsten Nørland. As CFO, Heilbuth assumes responsibility for all group functions in the areas of Finance, Treasury, IT, and Procurement.

Heilbuth was formerly group CFO and a member of the management board of the international food group A. Espersen. He is a certified public accountant and began his career in the auditing and consulting firm KPMG, after which he spent 10 years as Vice President, Head of Group Finance and Tax at the shipping and logistics company DFDS.

Heilbuth replaces Per Johannesen Madsen, who, in February 2022, announced his decision to leave the shipping company after 10 years as CFO.

Volvo Penta welcomes Fredrik Högberg as a new member of its Executive Management Group. As of May 15, 2022, he will take up the position of President of Volvo Penta North America, replacing Tony Kelleher who has served as Acting President since December 2021.

Högberg joined the Volvo Group in 1994 and has held a broad range of leading positions within the Volvo Group, including areas such as digital services, retail development, and aftermarket sales. He currently holds the position of Senior Vice President Services, Solutions, Digital and IT for Mack and Volvo Trucks North America.

Acting President Tony Kelleher will continue his position as head of Customer Support & Training in North America.

Volvo Penta welcomes Lennart Börjesson as a new member of its Executive Management Group. As of September 1, 2022, Börjesson will take up the position of Senior Vice President Planning, Purchasing, and Product and Solution Development, replacing Peter Granqvist who will lead Volvo Group’s electromobility technology developments as Senior Vice President Volvo Group Electromobility Technology.

Börjesson has held a series of leading positions since he joined the Volvo Group in 1985. He currently holds the position of Senior Vice President Vehicle Engineering at Volvo Group Trucks Technology.

International subsea rental equipment and solutions specialist Ashtead Technology has appointed Scott Stephen as the new Regional General Manager for its Middle East business to support its continued growth in the region.

Based in Abu Dhabi, Stephen will help to solidify the company’s existing market position in the region and lead further business expansion as part of its international growth strategy.

Stephen has been with the company for five years and has held various senior business development roles across different disciplines during his tenure with Ashtead Technology.

Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime has appointed Øystein Skår as General and Business Development Manager to build up the joint venture company founded in mid of 2021 by Hydrogenious LOHC Technologies and THE Østensjø Group.

With a MSc in marine engineering, Skår brings more than 20 years of experience from the maritime sector with about 15 years in senior management roles. Prior to Hydrogenious LOHC Maritime, he worked around 20 years for Pon Power. For the last four years he served as Director of Technology and Business Development.

The Board of Directors of Cadeler has confirmed that Peter Brogaard Hansen has been appointed new Chief Financial Officer (CFO) of the company with effect as of June 1, 2022.

Hansen is currently Vice President, Group Finance at the product tanker shipping company TORM. The appointment of Hansen as the company’s new CFO follows the end of the secondment of the company’s current CFO Mark Konrad from John Swire and Sons (H.K.) to the company, which was established in connection with Cadeler’s IPO in November 2020, as also previously informed in the Company’s Annual Reports and Remuneration Reports.

In the interim period, the Company’s Board of Directors has appointed Mario Robayo as the Company’s interim CFO. Mario Robayo is currently Head of Finance at Cadeler.

The targeted expansion of Schottel’s international network of subsidiaries developed further with the foundation of Schottel East Asia located near Busan, South Korea. Business operations were launched in April 2022.

Seongki Han has been appointed General Manager of Schottel East Asia. He brings to his new role extensive experience and expertise in the area of ship propulsion, based on a broad educational background as well as on 20 years of sales experience in the marine and offshore industry in the Asia/Pacific and Middle East region.

SHIP WORLD:

Associated British Ports (ABP) has appointed Mani Atwal as the new Head of Group Finance.

A senior finance executive with over 20 years of UK and international experience, Atwal is practised in developing key financial processes, managing commercial finance matters and M&A activity. Experienced in various senior finance leadership roles from within the energy sector both domestically and internationally, he is a member of the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Atwal’s current role is Group Financial Controller for Qatargas. He will take up his role on May 2, 2022.

Port of Brisbane (PBPL) Chairman Guy Cowan has confirmed the appointment of Neil Stephens as Chief Executive Officer of the company. Stephens has led the port over the last eight months as Interim CEO while continuing in his capacity as Chief Financial Officer.

On August 1, 2022, Joe Hughes will be relinquishing his position as Chief Executive Officer of Shipowners
Claims Bureau (SCB), Managers of the American Club, after 27 years’ service in that role. Dorothea
Ioannou, currently Deputy Chief Operating Officer of SCB, will take over as CEO on that date.

Vince Solarino will at the same time relinquish his role as Chief Operating Officer of SCB, after a similar
length of service in that position. Dan Tadros, currently Chief Legal and Compliance Officer of SCB, will
become the new COO at that time.

Hughes and Solarino will remain, respectively, as Chairman and President of SCB to focus on the transitioning
of their day-to-day operational roles to their senior colleagues.

Silverstream Technologies, a provider of air lubrication technology for the global shipping industry, has confirmed the appointment of David Colson, Commercial VP of GTT, to its Board of Directors.

Colson currently oversees all of GTT’s commercial activities, including responsibility for shipyard and licensee development, ship-owner business development, corporate communication and strategy and marketing teams. He is a Member of GTT’s Executive Committee, a Board Member of several Group subsidiaries and GTT’s representative on the Boards of Industry bodies SGMF (Society for Gas as a Marine Fuel) and SEA-LNG.

Colson has extensive commercial experience in the licensing of technology to shipyards, particularly in Korea and China.

The Port of San Diego welcomes Danielle Moore as the newest commissioner to represent the City of San Diego.

A native San Diegan, Moore has over a decade of experience as an attorney and her current practice focuses on the renewable energy industry. She currently serves on the board of The New Children’s Museum. She is also a member of the Earl B. Gilliam Bar Association.

Moore is a graduate of the Howard University School of Law, where she was a Merit Scholar. She is also a graduate of Stanford University and an alumna of the San Diego School for the Creative and Performing Arts in Paradise Hills, Aaron Price Fellows Program in San Diego, and Capital Fellows Program in Sacramento.

Port of San Francisco Executive Director Elaine Forbes has confirmed the appointment of David Beaupre as the new Deputy Director for Planning and Environment. He will be responsible for leading and providing strategic oversight of the Port’s Planning and Environment Division.

Beaupre joined the Port of San Francisco in 2001 as a Senior Waterfront Planner. Prior to this appointment he served as Senior Development Project Manager responsible for complex and difficult waterfront development projects. He is currently managing the Piers 30/32 and Seawall Lot 330 and Piers 38 and 40 development projects.

Previously, Beaupre has led the City’s Blue Greenway project and managed the planning and development of Crane Cove Park, the Port’s Pier 70 Preferred Master Plan and planning for the Piers 80-96 Maritime Eco-industrial Center. He lives in San Francisco and is a graduate from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst.

Wallem Group has appointed Ioannis Stefanou as Managing Director of Wallem Ship Management, with responsibility for the oversight and strategic planning of the company’s ship management activities worldwide.

Stefanou joined Wallem Ship Management in April 2014 to lead its Technical Management. Over his career, he has worked for a number of well-known ship management companies and highly respected privately-owned ship operators. He holds Master’s degrees in both Marine Technology and Technical Management of Ship Operations and is a Chartered Engineer registered with Engineering Council UK.

Matson has confirmed that Vic Angoco, senior vice president, Pacific, will succeed the retiring Bal Dreyfus as senior vice president, Alaska, based in Anchorage, effective July 1, 2022.

Currently responsible for Matson’s Hawaii, Guam, Micronesia and South Pacific operations as senior vice president, Pacific, Angoco began his 32-year maritime career on Guam and has held a wide range of operations and sales management roles. He joined Matson in 1996 as operations manager on Guam, and quickly rose through the ranks in successive sales, customer service and operations leadership positions in Guam and Hawaii. He was promoted to his current position in 2010.

The company also announced the following related promotions:

Len Isotoff, vice president, sales – Hawaii, is being promoted to succeed Angoco as senior vice president, Pacific, effective April 1, 2022.

Isotoff joined Matson in 1999 as Logistics Manager on Guam and has served in a variety of successive roles, including sales/customer service manager in Guam, Pacific Northwest sales manager, container operations manager in Honolulu and general manager, Guam/Micronesia. He was promoted to his current position in 2016.

Isotoff holds a bachelor’s degree in business management from Oregon State University. He serves on the Historic Hawaii Foundation Board of Trustees and the Navy League Honolulu Council.

Bernadette Valencia, vice president and general manager, Guam/Micronesia, is being appointed to succeed Isotoff as vice president, sales – Hawaii with responsibility for all sales and marketing activities in Hawaii, effective April 1, 2022.

Valencia joined Matson in 2008. Starting as sales/customer service manager, she was later named general manager, Guam and was promoted to her current position in 2017. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Maintenance from San Jose State University. She is the co-founder and a board member of iCAN Resources, a Guam nonprofit organisation, and has also been an active member of the University of Guam’s Center for Island Sustainability Advisory Council; The Employer’s Council; the USO Advisory Council; and the Guam Women’s Chamber of Commerce.

Patrick Bulaon, operations manager, Guam and Micronesia, is being promoted to succeed Valencia as vice president and general manager, Guam/Micronesia, effective April 1, 2022. In his new role, Bulaon assumes responsibility for overseeing all operations and sales activity of Matson’s Western Pacific and Micronesia regions, which include Guam, Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, Republic of Palau, Federated States of Micronesia, Republic of the Marshall Islands and Okinawa, Japan.

Originally from Guam, Bulaon joined Matson in 2021 and previously served in various operations and sales management positions over 28 years in Guam, CNMI, Micronesia, East Asia and the South Pacific for ExxonMobil and PacifiCare Asia Pacific. He holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and finance from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Jennifer Tungul, director, Alaska terminal operations, is being promoted to vice president, operations for Alaska, effective April 1, 2022. In her new position, Tungul will have primary management responsibility for Matson’s terminal operations in Anchorage, Kodiak and Dutch Harbor.

Tungul joined Matson’s Alaska operations in 2002 and has served in a series of finance and operations leadership roles, including terminal manager in Dutch Harbor. She was promoted to general manager for Dutch Harbor in 2019, and to her current position later that same year.

International Registries (IRI) and its affiliates, which provide administrative and technical support to the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI) Maritime and Corporate Registries, announced the promotion of Simon Bonnett and Theo Xenakoudis. Bonnett, who has served as Senior Vice President, Technical since 2018 was promoted to Chief Maritime Officer and Xenakoudis, the organisation’s Director, Worldwide Business Operations since 2015 and Managing Director of the Piraeus office since 2007, now serves as Chief Commercial Officer.

Bonnett and Xenakoudis will manage and expand upon the responsibilities of the current Chief Operations Officer, John Ramage, who will retire at the end of June 2022 following a 51-year career in the maritime industry.

As the London-based Chief Maritime Officer, Bonnett will be responsible for the oversight of the Maritime Services Group, which supports the RMI Registry’s fleet of more than 5,200 vessels. He has extensive technical experience as a former Lloyd’s Register surveyor, and more than 12 years with IRI.

Based in Piraeus, Greece, Xenakoudis joined IRI in 2001 as Business Development Manager, became Managing Director of the Piraeus office in 2007, and in 2015 was promoted to Director, Worldwide Business Operations. As Chief Commercial Officer he will continue to support owners and operators globally and focus on the Registry’s growth worldwide, with a continued eye toward emerging markets such as the global renewables market. He will also be heading up the global vessel registration teams.