Casjens to run German non-operating owner Nordcapital

Casjens to run German non-operating owner Nordcapital    Gunther Casjens, the former chief executive officer of Hapag-Lloyd Container Line, has been appointed CEO and managing partner of Nordcapital Holding, a German non-operating shipowner and charter owner.
   Moving from the ship operating to the chartering and investment side of container shipping, Casjens will be responsible for the shipping sector of Nordcapital, through its subsidiary E.R. Schiffahrt. He will also be responsible for group information technology and human resources.
   Erck Rickmers, chairman of Nordcapital, said Casjens “will certainly contribute to an even deeper understanding of our customers needs while further enhancing our network within the industry.'
   German investors have traditionally built a large share of containerships for charter to container shipping lines. Based in Hamburg, Nordcapital has 41 ships in service and another 39 on order at the Hyundai shipyards. Nordcapital's ship management and vessel-owning subsidiary, E.R. Schiffahrt, will therefore see its fleet grow to more than 80 vessels by 2007, with a combined capacity of about 350,000 TEUs.
   Casjens resigned from Hapag-Lloyd in January.