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Ron Widdows News

09 Oct 2018

World Shipping Council Names Tim Wickmann as New MD, Asia

The World Shipping Council (WSC) is pleased to announce that Tim Wickmann is joining WSC as its new Managing Director, Asia.Wickmann served most recently as CEO of MCC Transport and has worked in various leadership positions in international liner shipping for the last three decades.“The liner shipping industry is a global network and therefore needs consistent regulatory treatment across the globe. That requires the industry to have a coordinated voice on regulatory matters. Tim Wickmann has extensive experience operating throughout Asia and we are glad to welcome him to the WSC staff as he takes the lead role for us in Asia. He will…

18 Dec 2014

WSC CEO Koch to Retire in 2015

Chris Koch (Photo: WSC)

Chris Koch, current president and CEO of the World Shipping Council (WSC), will retire from his position on July 31, 2015, and WSC Senior Vice-President and General Counsel, John Butler, will assume that position on August 1 of next year. Following his retirement as president, Koch will continue to support the council in a senior advisory capacity. In announcing the personnel changes, Chairman of the WSC Board of Directors, Ron Widdows, said, “During [Koch’s] 15 years of leadership…

13 May 2013

Rickmers CEO Joins Annual International Maritime Hall of Fame

Ronald D Widdows

Ron Widdows, CEO of Rickmers Group and Rickmers-Linie, was inducted into the Annual International Maritime Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the global maritime industry. He was one of only six people awarded the honor in a ceremony in New York on May 8, 2013 at a dinner attended by 400 maritime industry colleagues. Other inductees included Maersk Mc-Kinney Møller, Chairman, A.P. Møller-Maersk (posthumous award) and Michael Bloomberg, the Mayor of New York City.

10 Jul 2012

Ulrich Ulrichs is Appointed Managing Director of Rickmers-Linie

Ulrich Ulrichs, Managing Director

Rickmers-Linie, part of Hamburg’s Rickmers Group, has promoted Ulrich Ulrichs to the position of Managing Director. Mr Ulrichs joined Rickmers-Linie in 2005 when he took over responsibility for Line Management. In 2008 he became Director of this division before being appointed Deputy Managing Director in August 2011. Mr Ulrichs will work alongside Rüdiger Gerhardt, who has held the title of Managing Director since 1 July 2011 as well as Head of Logistics Services for the Rickmers Group.

15 Feb 2012

Widdows to Lead Rickmers

Ron Widdows to take over from Jan B Steffens as CEO of Rickmers Holding and Rickmers-Linie. After ten very successful years with the Rickmers Group and especially, with Rickmers-Linie, Jan B Steffens will by 31 March 2012 step down from the twin positions of CEO of Rickmers Holding and of Rickmers-Linie although he will continue to serve on the Rickmers Group advisory board. Ronald D Widdows, former CEO of NOL/APL, is to become the new Chief Executive Officer of Rickmers Holding and Rickmers-Linie as of 1 April 2012. Rickmers’ Chief Financial Officer Dr Ignace Van Meenen will act as his deputy. Announcing this change, Bertram R C Rickmers…

30 Sep 2011

New NOL Group CEO Takes Over Tomorrow

NOL Group has completed the transition to a new CEO and that Ng Yat Chung will take the helm of the global transport and logistics company October 1, 2011. Mr. Ng, an NOL Executive Director since May, will succeed Ron Widdows who retires from the company Dec. 31. “We have completed the implementation of our executive succession plan and are moving ahead under Yat Chung,” said NOL Chairman Cheng Wai Keung. Mr. Ng, a former Temasek Holdings executive and one-time Chief of Defence Force in the Singapore Army, takes control of a leading name in trade, transportation and logistics. NOL is the parent of APL, the world’s seventh-largest container shipping line. Its other major brand is APL Logistics, the global supply chain management business. NOL designated Mr.

03 Jun 2011

Sappino Leaves APL After 29 Yrs

APL said today that 29-year veteran Bob Sappio, head of the shipping line’s PanAmerican Trades, will leave the company August 1 to remain in the San Francisco Bay Area. Sappio has been the head of APL’s Trans-Pacific Trade since 2003. He played a key role in establishing APL as the leader in the Trans-Pacific and in building its brand reputation for high-quality service in the industry, said Ron Widdows, CEO of parent company NOL Group. “I’ve devoted my entire career to APL – a company I have tremendous affection and respect for,” said Sappio, who joined the container carrier in 1982. Sappio guided APL to a top market share position in the route between Asia and the U.S. West Coast.

27 Apr 2011

Four Honors for NOL at Asian Freight Awards

SINGAPORE, 27 APRIL 2011 – NOL Group won accolades for excellence in Shipping and Logistics and CEO Ron Widdows received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 25th Asian Freight & Supply Chain Awards here tonight. Both of NOL’s principal businesses were honored at one of the longest-running awards tributes in the Asian transportation sector. Container carrier APL was named Best Shipping Line in the Transpacific and Asia-Europe trades. APL Logistics won in the category of Best Logistics Service Provider – Sea Freight.

25 Apr 2011

NOL Group Announces Succession Plan for Group CEO

NOL Group announced its executive succession plan to appoint Mr. Ng Yat Chung the next Group President and Chief Executive Officer. Mr. Ng will take over from Mr. Ron Widdows, who will retire from his present post at the end of this year and remain as a Senior Adviser to the Company. Mr. Ng spent 28 years in key leadership roles in Singapore’s Armed Forces (SAF). Prior to assuming his present role as a senior executive with Temasek Holdings, he was Chief of Defence Force from 2003 to 2007…

10 Nov 2010

Former NOL Group CEO Passes Away

“NOL is deeply saddened by the loss of Mr. Lua Cheng Eng. Mr. Lua was the CEO of NOL Group for 20 years from 1979 through 1999. He built up NOL from a small shipping line to a major carrier with 120 ships. NOL Chairman Cheng Wai Keung said: “Our thoughts and sympathies go out to the family and friends of Mr. Lua. The NOL Group is today the fifth-largest container shipping company in the world. We could not have achieved this position without Mr. Lua’s bold vision and years of contributions to the enterprise. Group CEO Ron Widdows recalled Mr. Lua as a highly respected shipping leader. “Among many other affiliations, he was the President of the Baltic and International Maritime Council (BIMCO) and the Singapore Shipping Association…

16 Jun 2010

Bruner, Newsome Receive East Coast Connie Awards

The Containerization & Intermodal Institute (CII) will present the 2010 East Coast-based Connie Awards to J. Russell Bruner, Chairman and CEO of Maersk Inc. and James I. Newsome III, President and CEO of the South Carolina State Ports Authority. The evening event on Tuesday, December 7 at The Newark Club will also commemorate the 50th anniversary of CII. The Newark Club event is in addition to the West Coast-based Connie Awards on September 30 in Long Beach, CA, honoring Ron Widdows and Jon Hemingway. CII holds two Connie events each year to accommodate industry leaders on both coasts. Each recipient is being honored for his significant influence in containerization in worldwide trade and transportation, according to Allen Clifford, CII President.

17 Nov 2009

Kurz, Widdows, USCG 2009 AOTOS Recipients

Photo caption (from left to right): Ronald Widdows, Group President and CEO of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) of Singapore, parent company of American President Lines (APL); Admiral Thad W. Allen, Commandant, United States Coast Guard; Donald Kurz, President and CEO of Keystone Shipping Company

The United Seamen’s Service (USS) 2009 40th Annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) were presented to Donald Kurz, President and CEO of Keystone Shipping Co., headquartered in Philadelphia, and to Ronald Widdows, Group President and CEO of Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) of Singapore, parent company of American President Lines (APL). A Special AOTOS Award was also presented to The United States Coast Guard. The maritime industry’s most prestigious honors were awarded at a gala industry dinner and dance held at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, New York City, on November 13, 2009.

02 Nov 2009

Seven Join the UK P&I Club Board

Photo courtesy Dunelm Public Relations

Seven directors were elected to the Board of the UK P&I Club at the AGM in Bermuda on October 26th. Jason Liberty, Vice President of Strategy, Corporate Planning & Insurance Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd is responsible for his company’s corporate finance, strategy, M&A, forecasting & planning, insurance and continuous improvement group. A former advisory director with KPMG LLP, Liberty joined Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd in 2005. Harley Franco, Chairman and CEO, Harley Marine Services…

07 Oct 2009

Crew of 5 American Vessels Honored for Bravery

The officers and crews of five American ships and a seafarer who extinguished a fire on a vessel will be honored for heroism by United Seamen's Service at the 40th annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea dinner on November 13, 2009. The AOTOS honors this year will go to Donald Kurz of Keystone Shipping Co., Ron Widdows of Neptune Orient Lines and the United States Coast Guard, which will receive a special award. The Honored Seafarer awards will go to the officers and crew of the Maersk Alabama, who fought off a pirate attack while maintaining control of the ship 350 miles off the coast of Somalia and whose captain was taken hostage, April 8-13, 2009.

23 Jun 2009

Kurz & Widdows Receive AOTOS Award

The United Seamen's Service (USS) 2009 40th Annual Admiral of the Ocean Sea Awards (AOTOS) will be presented to Donald Kurz, President and CEO of Keystone Shipping Co., headquartered in Philadelphia, and to Ronald Widdows, Group President and CEO of NOL (Neptune Orient Lines) of Singapore, parent company of American President Lines (APL). A Special AOTOS Award will also be presented to the United States Coast Guard. The maritime industry's most prestigious honors will be awarded at a gala industry dinner and dance to be held at the Sheraton New York Hotel and Towers, New York City, on November 13, 2009. Richard Hughes, Chairman of the USS AOTOS Committee and President of the International Longshoremen's Association, AFL-CIO, made the announcement on the occasion of the USS Annual meeting.

12 Feb 2009

NOL posts 2008 Net Profit After Restructuring

On Feb. 6, global container shipping and logistics group, Neptune Orient Lines (NOL), reported a net profit for 2008 of $83m, 84% lower than 2007. The Group’s 2008 Core EBIT of $213m was down 64% from the prior year. For the fourth quarter of 2008 (4Q08), the company reported a net loss of $149m and a loss at Core EBIT level of $45m. The fourth quarter result includes $72m of restructuring charges. Revenue for 2008 was up 14% year-on-year to a record $9.29b. Announcing the results, NOL Group Chairman, Mr. Cheng Wai Keung, said “2008 was a year of dramatic change, in which our Group faced some of the most turbulent conditions in its long history. NOL Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr.

20 Nov 2008

NOL Group - Cost Reduction Initiatives

Neptune Orient Lines Limited (NOL), the parent company of container shipping line APL and of APL Logistics, announced a package of measures to place the company on a more sustainable footing through an expected severe and prolonged downturn in global container shipping. The actions to be taken will bring the organisation into line with the reduced capacity the company will be operating as a result of initiatives announced on 21 October 2008. The capacity reductions will lower the NOL Group’s vessel network costs by about US$200 million in 2009 (This figure includes some fixed vessel and charter hire costs). NOL said it did not see a recovery from the challenging conditions for quite some time and the potential exists for them to persist for the next few years.

30 Oct 2008

NOL 3Q Results

Group EBIT for 3Q08 of $52m was down 75% from 3Q07, while third-quarter revenue was up 16% year-on-year to $2.4b. Announcing the results, NOL Group President and Chief Executive Officer, Mr. In 3Q08, NOL’s Container Shipping business, APL, recorded a 10% year-on-year rise in volumes in the third quarter to 622,000 FEU, driven primarily by the Intra-Asia trade, as well as an increase in Asia-Europe and Transpacific backhaul volumes. “APL volumes grew on a year-on-year basis, but overall demand in the main trades slowed considerably in the third quarter,” said Mr Widdows. APL’s average third-quarter 2008 overall headhaul utilization level was 90%, compared to 99% in 3Q07.

07 Aug 2008

NOL First Half Net Profit Up

Global container shipping, terminals and logistics group Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) reported a net profit for the first half of 2008 (1H08) of $196 million, a rise of 45% over the same period of 2007 (1H07). 1H08 EBIT was $229 million, 30% higher than 1H07. For the second quarter of 2008 (2Q08), a period marked by deteriorating market conditions and significant cost pressures, the company reported a net profit of $76 million (19% lower than 2Q07) and EBIT of $92 million (down 18% on 2Q07). Revenues for 1H08 were up 25% to a record $4.64 billion. 2Q08 revenues rose by 24% to $2.24 billion over the same period of 2007. The NOL Board of Directors has approved an interim tax-exempt (one-tier) dividend of 4 cents per share to be paid on 5 September 2008.

07 Jul 2008

New CEO at NOL

Neptune Orient Lines Limited announced that, by mutual agreement with the Board of Directors, Dr Thomas Held has stepped down from the position of Group President and Chief Executive Officer (“CEO”) of the company and that Mr Ronald Widdows has been appointed as the new Group President and CEO. Dr Held has also resigned from, and Mr Widdows has been appointed a member of, the NOL Board of Directors. The changes have immediate effect. Mr Widdows is currently the CEO of NOL’s container shipping business APL, and has held this position since 2003. Dr Held has been CEO of NOL since November 2006 and brought to the Group extensive experience of global logistics.

13 Nov 2007

APL Launches 53-foot Containers into the Market

The first 53-foot ocean-capable containers from shipping leader APL have rolled off the assembly line and were loaded onto the vessel APL Philippines for their initial voyage across the Pacific. Major retailers have snapped up the containers to take advantage of “big-box economics” on the Transpacific Trade from Asia to the U.S. “We took the first order of 53-foot containers from our manufacturer in China and immediately put them to work,” said Bob Sappio, Senior Vice President of the Transpacific Trade at APL. APL last month introduced the world’s first 53-foot containers designed specifically for deep sea containership transport. The carrier recently announced a name for the new product – Ocean53. The first cargo-laden boxes were loaded at the Port of Chiwan.

05 Jun 2007

Transport Congestion Peril to Global Economy

Inadequate transportation infrastructure and congestion will negatively impact worldwide economic growth in the years ahead and urgent action is required globally to accelerate the pace of infrastructure development. That’s the warning from Ron Widdows, CEO of one of the world’s top-ten container shipping lines, Singapore-based APL. The 54-year old ECMT, created to focus on Europe’s transport issues, convened its meeting in Sofia to consider a single issue for the first time: “Congestion: A Global Challenge.” Widdows became the first private-sector speaker to ever take part in the conference. The ECMT took an additional step to expand its scope by launching the International Transport Forum.

14 Aug 2006

Fuel Costs Pressure NOL Earnings

Neptune Orient Lines (NOL) reported a net profit of $187m for the first half of 2006, down 52% from the same period of 2005. The company posted a second quarter net profit of $67 million, 66% lower than in 2005. NOL Chairman Mr Cheng Wai Keung, said: “After record financial performances in the past three years, we are now in a more challenging business environment, which is reflected in reduced earnings for the first half of 2006. “Business conditions for both our liner and logistics segments have become more difficult. 1H 2006 total Group revenues rose slightly year-on-year to $3.52b, while the Group’s Core Earnings Before Gross Interest Expense, Tax and Non-Recurring Items (EBIT) of $227m was down 47% from the corresponding period of 2005.