More Scandal Ahead as Three Executives Sacked from Container Shipping Giant

DENMARK – THE NETHERLANDS – INDIA – More potential scandal in the world of shipping and freight forwarding this month as three employees from the port operating arm of container giant Maersk have been dismissed from the company for ‘not following internal policies’. Christian Moller Laursen, APM Terminals’ former Vice President and Chief Financial Officer; Martin Gaard Christiansen, Chief Commercial Officer; and Michael Lund Hansen, Head of Global Project Implementation, were all accused of illegal payments and showing favouritism with concern to practices in India. An investigation is now underway. The cargo industry has been rocked in the past few years by a succession of antitrust and cartel cases and a full report on the story behind this latest affair will follow shortly.

Henrik Lundgaard Pedersen, former CEO of APM Terminals Asia-Pacific region, was named the new CFO at the beginning of the year, unrelated to the allegations, and Joe Nielsen has taken up the reigns in the commercial operations and will keep his previous function in global container port business development.

UK – Tesco has announced that former Freight Transport Association (FTA) President John Allan has joined the Board and been appointed Chairman on 1st March 2015, following Richard Broadbent’s decision to step down. In joining Tesco, Allan will leave some of his other senior management roles, including the DHL UK Foundation and Royal Mail, but is expected to continue in his other roles as Chairman of Barratt Developments and WorldPay.

UK – The TT Club has appointed Justin Reynolds as Regional Claims Director, Europe, Middle East, and Africa, based in London.

UK – Stuart Westgate has been appointed Programme Development Director (Internal Sponsor) for HS2, reporting directly to CEO Simon Kirby. HS2 has also appointed Roger Mountford as a non-Executive Director.

HONG KONG – The Liberian Registry has appointed recently retired President of Genco Shipping & Trading Gerry Buchanan as Managing Director of its dedicated office in Hong Kong.

PHILIPPINES – International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has appointed Mohamed Ghandar as General Manager of the Manila International Container Terminal. Ghandar reports directly to Christian Gonzalez, ICTSI Head of Asia-Pacific.

US – Industry veteran Des Vertannes has joined SmartKargo as a Strategic Advisor. Vertannes retired as Head of Cargo at IATA in June 2014.

US – Menlo Logistics has announced the promotion of Director of Business Development – Consumer and Industrial Vertical, Brian Murphy to the role of Senior Director of Business Development – Emerging Markets. He is based at Menlo’s National Transportation Management Centre in Aurora, Illinois.

US – The Long Beach Board of Harbor Commissioners has appointed port industry veterans Michael Christensen and Glenn Farren to newly created management positions to enhance cargo flow and service at the Port of Long Beach.

Christensen, who most recently was Deputy Executive Director at the Port of Los Angeles, was appointed Port of Long Beach’s Senior Executive for Supply Chain Optimization, reporting directly to Chief Executive Jon Slangerup. Farren, who was General Manager for Hapag-Lloyd America, will be Long Beach’s Director of Tenant Services and Operations. Farren will start in March and will report to Dr. Noel Hacegaba, Managing Director of Commercial Operations/Chief Commercial Officer.

US – Southeastern Freight Lines has promoted Brian Garner to the role of Service Centre Manager in its new Bowling Green, Kentucky facility.

US – American Fast Freight has appointed Kevin Kelly as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, effective immediately. Kelly will also continue to serve as a member of AFF's board of directors.