Shipping stalwart Scott Bergeron has been promoted at Oldendorff Carriers and will join the owner-operator’s board.
He will succeed Dexter Jeremiah as head of fleet management at the Lubeck-headquartered company in September, according to internal communications seen by TradeWinds.
In his new role, Bergeron will oversee fleet management, technical management, procurement and crewing for Oldendorff vessels.
He will continue to head up the company’s global engagement and sustainability desk but will delegate some of his responsibilities.
Jeremiah, a master mariner, will move back to his native Australia from Lubeck in October after 19 years at Oldendorff. He will continue to work with the company.
In an email to staff, chief executive Patrick Hutchins said Jeremiah intends “to take things a little easier”.
“We won’t let him go that easily of course as he has such a wealth of experience and can add value in many different ways throughout the company,” Hutchins added.
He credited Jeremiah’s work in shaping Oldendorff’s operations department as well as running the company’s Trinidad transshipment project and performance desk.
Bergeron joined Oldendorff five years ago, having previously been chief executive of the Liberian Registry, the world’s second-largest open register of ships.
Hutchins said Bergeron “has proven to be a true Oldendorffer” and was appointed to the new role following extensive interviews of both external and internal candidates.
“I think that Scott’s managerial style and experience, together with his drive to succeed will allow us to continue the journey Dexter started and continue in bringing the fleet department forward in the company,” the CEO told staff.
Expansion plans
Hutchins took the helm at Oldendorff in late March, following the retirement of Peter Twiss after 27 years in the role. The company’s head of chartering, Yannis Efstathiou, retired at the same time.
Oldendorff last month told TradeWinds it aims to expand its activities across all sizes of bulk carriers in South America. The company has hired Tiago Thomas, previously head of dry cargo in Singapore for shipbroker Braemar, who will work as a consultant for the company in Brazil.
Earlier this year, Leandro Godoy was hired as chartering manager in Sao Paulo from broker Simpson Spence Young.
In July, Oldendorff reportedly sold its 209,100-dwt, scrubber-fitted newcastlemax Henriette Oldendorff (built 2016) for almost $47m to unnamed South Korean buyers.
