Ronald Widdows News

John McLaurin, President of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA), a West Coast maritime trade association representing ocean carriers and marine terminal operators on a variety of local, state and federal issues, has been selected to receive the 2013 Connie Award to be presented on the West Coast by the Containerization and Intermodal Institute. The industry-wide dinner event honoring Mr. McLaurin will be held on Thursday, September 26, at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, Calif.

Long Beach, CA (May 9, 2011) -- Richard D. Steinke, who will retire this year as executive director of the Port of Long Beach and who was instrumental in developing the Port into one of the world's largest container harbors, has been selected to receive the Connie Award to be presented on the West Coast by the Containerization & Intermodal Institute (www.containerization.org). The industry-wide dinner event honoring Mr. Steinke will be held on Wednesday, September 21, at the Renaissance Hotel in Long Beach, CA.

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.

The officers and crew of the Maersk Alabama, who fought off a pirate attack earlier this year, will be represented by Captain Richard Phillips, Chief Engineer; Michael Perry, and Bosun William Rios in accepting an Honored Seafarers plaque at the 40th annual United Seamen's Service (USS) Admiral of the Ocean Sea dinner on November 13, 2009. "We are pleased that all three unions aboard the ship will be represented by the vessel department heads at this signature maritime event," said Edward R. Morgan, USS President. The unions are the International Organization of Masters, Mates and Pilots, Marine Engineers Beneficial Association and the Seafarers International Union of North America.

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.

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.