Maersk's board officially elected Jim Hagemann Snabe its new chairman as the liner operator accelerates efforts to bring more technology to one of the world's largest shipping companies.

Outgoing chairman Michael Pram Rasmussen announced he would resign in February, with Snabe named as replacement.

Snabe, 51, has served as an independent director on Maersk's board since last year. That stands in contrast to outgoing chairman Michael Pram Rasmussen, who has served on Maersk's board for over 12 years.

Snabe also stands out for his lack of shipping industry experience. He was former co-chief executive officer of German software maker SAP and served as vice chairman of consumer electronics firm Bang & Olufsen.

Other management experience includes time at Siemens and Allianz. He is also a member of the board of trustees and chairman of the World Economic Forum USA.

Snabe's background aligns with Maersk's recent digital initiatives under chief executive Soren Skou. Earlier this month, Maersk announced a venture with IBM to introduce blockchain technology to track containers. Maersk also introduced a service which would allow shippers to reserve freight directly through Chinese e-commerce site Alibaba.