A refreshed Ulrik Andersen is raring to go after taking a year out of shipping.
Nothing was heard from the former John Fredriksen group executive since he left bulker company Golden Ocean in May 2023.
But late last month, Danish shipping investment group J Lauritzen announced Andersen would be returning to oversee its green operation, Lauritzen NexGen Shipping.
Now that the experienced maritime man has his feet firmly under the desk, he felt the time was right to answer TradeWinds’ questions on his new role and his time away from shipping.
Lauritzen NexGen has three kamsarmax bulkers under construction, which will be dual-fuelled with methanol. They are chartered to Cargill.
Further investments in zero-emission-capable assets are under consideration.
Andersen spent nearly four years at Golden Ocean following an earlier spell at fellow Fredriksen-backed company Avance Gas.
Before his career in dry cargo, he was head of shipping at LPG shipowner Petredec and was managing director of Neu Gas Shipping for more than seven years.
The new recruit told TradeWinds the intention from both him and J Lauritzen is for the new role to be permanent.
“However, the immediate focus is on fine-tuning the strategy for Lauritzen NexGen. This strategic groundwork will set the stage for decisions on staffing, including the specifics of my own role,” he said.
Personal projects
“During my year away from shipping, I pursued personal projects and took on a short-term advisory role.
“More importantly, I spent quality time with my family, which gave me time to recharge and reflect. Now I am eager to dive back into shipping — I guess it is about time I traded family time for Teams calls,” he joked.
Asked if J Lauritzen had approached him about the role, he said: “I appreciate the question, but I’d prefer not to focus on the specifics of how the opportunity came about.
“What’s important is the shared vision and enthusiasm that both Lauritzen and I have for NexGen. We’re excited to work together on this.
“I was very familiar with J Lauritzen. As a respected Danish investment company with a rich history, it has been a significant player in the maritime industry for over 140 years.
“J Lauritzen is synonymous with innovation, sustainability and forward-thinking, which aligns perfectly with the visions for NexGen.”
Andersen explained that Lauritzen has established a unique stand-alone platform with zero-emission-capable assets.
“We believe there is a strong business case for growing that platform by making further investments,” he told TradeWinds.
“The plan now is to formulate a clear strategy regarding what projects, segments and technologies we should target, including considering if we should raise external capital.
“The backdrop is clear, though; the shipping industry stands on the brink of a transformative shift towards a greener and more sustainable future driven by legislation and customers’ changing preferences.
“Undoubtedly, this transition will take time; let’s not pretend anything else, but it is bound to pick up pace towards 2030 and beyond.”
By starting now, the aim is to position NexGen among the frontrunners.
The company will be ready to seize the opportunities that will arise from the growing demand for zero-emission solutions that it expects to see in the coming years, he said.
NexGen is adopting a “sector-agnostic approach”, he emphasised.
“We’re open to exploring all major shipping segments and vessel sizes, provided there’s a green angle and contract coverage.
“We do not necessarily need extremely long charter periods, and we are also willing to structure deals that share some of the risks and rewards with our charterers.”
And the operation is keeping an open mind on green propulsion methods.
“While methanol and ammonia are currently the most viable options for deepsea transport and also the most likely avenue for us, we could, under the right conditions, be open to investing in ships that utilise fuel cell technology and electric propulsion,” he added.
Effective green practices
“Our goal is to remain versatile and embrace the most effective green solutions available for any given segment.”
Asked whether more partnerships are on the cards, he replied: “Absolutely. We are very much inclined to collaborate with like-minded partners who share our vision for sustainability and innovation.”
This could include charterers, shipyards, financiers and potentially also equity partners.
Christian Bonfils and his Copenhagen Commercial Platform were involved in the initial deal between J Lauritzen and Cargill, and will commercially manage the three kamsarmaxes.
