Rickmers taps Widdows as new chief

   Former head of liner carrier APL Ron Widdows has been named chief executive officer of Rickmers Holding and of Rickmers-Linie, effective April 1, the German carrier said Wednesday.
   Widdows retired last year from APL parent NOL, where he left as chief executive officer and chairman. He’ll replace Jan Steffens, who helmed Rickmers the past decade. Rickmers’ Chief Financial Officer Ignace Van Meenen will become Widdows’ deputy.
   Steffens will remain with Rickmers in an advisory role, including on special projects.

Widdows

   “Mr. Widdows has over 40 years’ experience in the shipping industry, the last 31 years of which were with APL and Neptune Orient Lines,” said Bertram Rickmers, chairman of Rickmers Holding, in a statement. “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.
   “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,” he added.
   Widdows is currently the chairman of the World Shipping Council and is on the advisory boards of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy and the International Transport Forum. He is a past chairman of the Transpacific Stabilization Agreement.
   American Shipper profiled Widdows in its August cover story.
   The Hamburg-based Rickmers Group provides vessel operations, maritime services, and logistics. It has 20 offices and 50 agency agreements worldwide, along with a fleet of more than 120 container ships, multipurpose vessels, car carriers and bulk carriers. — Eric Johnson