DE WITTE TAKES OVER AS PRESIDENT OF ECU LINE USA

   Kris De Witte has been named president of ECU Line USA, a Long Beach, Calif.-based non-vessel operating common carrier.
   He replaces Peter Gruettner, who recently accepted a position as vice
president of operations for BAX Global’s ocean division.
   DeWitte is president of Mercator Shipping and a member of the board of directors for ECU International, based in Brussels.
   He was appointed president by Raymond Van Achteren, the company’s managing director and chief executive officer.
   De Witte will be responsible for new business development, sales and
marketing strategies and administraiton for ECU Line USA, as well as for the ECU Line group in Central and South America and the Caribbean.
   Mercator is expected to folded into Ecu Line later this year.