Emanuele Grimaldi will take over from Esben Poulsson as chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping in June next year.
Poulsson has held the position since 2016.
As one of the leading and most familiar names in European shipping, Grimaldi’s appointment will come as a boost to the ICS which represents shipowner associations from around the world.
Grimaldi is currently ICS vice chairman and managing director of the Grimaldi Group, one of Europe’s biggest rolling-cargo shipowners.
Grimaldi said he is looking forward to continuing his work with the ICS board.
“I am extremely pleased to continue to work with all of them in this new position,” he said.
Grimaldi has previous experience in leading shipping associations. He was formerly president of the Italian shipowners’ association Confitarma and the European Community Shipowners’ Association.
Grimaldi will be officially appointed following the ICS board meeting in June.
The ICS’s current focus is on seafarer vaccinations and decarbonisation. The group has recently been influential in representing shipowner interests in decarbonisation discussions at the International Maritime Organization.
The Grimaldi Group has been attempting to reduce its own carbon footprint through an extensive newbuilding programme.
In February this year, the company signed a $500m deal for six 45,684-dwt roro multipurpose (MPP) vessels at Hyundai Mipo Dockyard. The company said the new ships would reduce its carbon emissions by 48% compared with its existing fleet of MPPs.
