Torvald Klaveness Group veteran Niels Josefsen is joining J Lauritzen as the head of its dry cargo department.
Josefsen will take over from Thomas Woidemann, who has led the division on an interim basis since Peter Borup left in early 2017.
Woidemann, J Lauritzen’s chief operating officer, will continue to run the company’s LPG business, Lauritzen Kosan.
Mads P. Zacho, chief executive of J Lauritzen, says Woidemann has set the direction and strategy of the bulker business during his 20 months in the job and will now “devote his considerable talent to Lauritzen Kosan”.
“Each business will have a leader with a sole focus on fulfilling the potential of the very interesting development opportunities we see in both the gas carrier and dry cargo markets at the moment and our ambition to grow our businesses,” said Zacho.
Josefsen has more than 30 years’ experience in the dry cargo market, having worked for Maersk Bulk in Europe and Asia before joining Klaveness in 2003. He became head of bulk at Klaveness in 2015.
Following a strategic review last year Lauritzen Bulkers has been focusing on the handysize segment of the market where Zacho has said it wants to be the go-to company.
Lauritzen has 10 fully owned handysize bulkers and part ownership of a couple more. Approximately 30 are on long term charter, with seven more on medium term deals and the rest of its business short term.
