Scandlines operations chief Claus Nikolajsen is retiring after 35 years with the company.
The senior vice president of route management and operations will leave on 31 January.
He is being replaced by Michael Guldmann Petersen, 49, who was a captain for Maersk until 2000.
The master mariner then completed management training courses for roles in the Netherlands, Nigeria and Italy.
He has also worked for Torm and Norden.
His most recent position was as port, rail and marine manager for an iron mine in Sierra Leone.
Nikolajsen began his career as an officer at Scandlines in 1981.
