People on the move
There are some
interesting top personnel changes to report in the European ports industry
Bremen's senator for economy and justice - the ministerial post that includes
the Bremen ports' portfolio - Ralf Nagel (SPD), has resigned
with immediate effect.
Nagel started his career in the German Navy and was then a state secretary
for transport and traffic for the German state of Saxon-Anhalt. He filled the
same position in the federal government followed by a partnership in a private
commercial consultancy firm, before being appointed a senator in Bremen in 2007.
Disagreements with his political party are cited as reasons for his
resignation. He was accused of showing "insufficient engagement in his official
political position."
He is taken up the post of managing director of VDR – Verband Deutscher
Reeder – the German Shipowners' Association in Hamburg, as a direct replacement
for Dr Hans-Heinrich Nöll, who has been sacked.
Members of the VDR were of the view that Dr. Nöll had not acted strongly
enough to defend and promote their interests in this time of the crisis. It is
claimed that he failed to get any substantial financial support from the Berlin
government for the troubled German shipping industry.
VDR's chairman Michael Behrendt said that Nagel has excellent connections in
political circles and in the business world. The Bremen senate has appointed
Martin Günthner as the new senator for economic and port
affairs. He has been the SPD's spokesman in Bremen on port policy since 2002.
GPM de Marseille-Fos has appointed a Belgian, Dirk Becquart,
currently dirctor of the Port of Gent, as director of development, a new post.
This is the first time that such a high level position in any leading French
port authority has gone to a non-French national. The post includes marketing
responsibilities. The name of Becquart's replacement in Gent is not known at the
time of writing.
Fred Kamperman, who in the past has served as terminal
manager of both BCT Riga and general manager of the DCT Gdansk, has joined the
Belgian Delphis Group as general manager of its Sjursøya Container Terminal
affiliate in Oslo.
Charles Jonet was recently appointed president of the Port
of Brussels, replacing Laurence Bovey.
Source : World Cargo News