Christian Vinther Christensen is stepping down as Norden’s commercial chief in the latest in a run of departures at the Danish giant.
His exit as chief operating officer of the bulker and product tanker owner-operator’s Freight Services & Trading (FST) division comes after more than seven years at the company.
Christensen’s departure follows the exit of four of Norden’s panamax chartering staff in Singapore and Copenhagen, who quit in March to join capesize owner Classic Maritime.
Line Lund Clausen also resigned in March as head of supramax in the Atlantic to join bulker operator BaltNav.
Christensen’s former role will be split between Rasmus Saltofte — who was head of handysize bulkers worldwide and will become head of dry cargo — and Soren Tolboll Nielsen, who will remain as head of tankers.
Saltofte is due to go on paternity leave, but Norden told TradeWinds this has been moved to allow him to settle into the new role.
Rumours began to circulate in the market late last year that Christensen was considering retirement. He could not be contacted for comment.
Jan Rindbo, chief executive of Norden, said: “Christian Vinther Christensen has played a pivotal role in the transformation of Norden into the modern, global and data-driven company that we are today, helping to shape the platform for growth, which we can now further develop.”
Christensen said: “We’ve prepared Norden for the future, and with the new FST management team in place, I feel very comfortable leaving it in your capable hands.
“Now it’s time for me to give some time back to my family and eventually look for new ways to challenge myself outside daily management.”
Saltofte and Nielsen joined Norden as shipping trainees in the mid-2000s and have held a variety of roles in at its Copenhagen headquarters and worldwide.
The company said this gives them “a deep-rooted understanding of the company and strong commercial mindsets”.
