Ron Widdows

Ron Widdows will take up the new role in April

Ron Widdows, the former CEO of Neptune Orient Line and APL, has been appointed to head Rickmers Holding and Rickmers-Linie.

He will take over from Jan B Steffens who is stepping down at the end of March. Steffens will continue to serve on the Rickmers Group advisory board.

'I am very happy to welcome Ron Widdows to the Rickmers Group,” said Rickmers Holding Chairman Bertram R C Rickmers. “Mr Widdows has over 40 year's experience in the shipping industry, the last 31 years of which were with APL and Neptune Orient Lines where he held the position of Group President and CEO,” he added.

Widdows is currently the chairman of the World Shipping Council and is on the advisory boards of the US Merchant Marine Academy and the International Transport Forum. He is also a past chairman of the Transpacific Stabilisation Agreement.

“Ron brings a wealth of experience in container shipping and deep relationships within the industry, with shippers, governments and the financial community to his new role,” said Rickmers. “The combination of the rich history and strong brand of Rickmers and the experience of this well-known shipping professional is a very positive development in the process of further expanding our successful enterprise with a strong focus on the Asia-Pacific and American markets.'