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Patrick Verhoeven is to leave the European Community Shipowners' Associations ECSA on September 1 to become Managing Director Policy and Strategy at the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) - the Tokyo-headquartered global trade association for seaports worldwide. He is due to continue in his current role until the end of August.

Announcing the decision, ECSA President, Niels Smedegaard, said: "Patrick has regretfully decided to leave his position with us after four years, to take up a new role in a global environment. I would like to thank him for his modernisation of the ECSA secretariat, commitment and contributions to the many important topics which the European Shipowners Community has faced during his tenure. I wish Patrick lots of success and all the best in his new role."

Verhoeven remarked: "The decision to make this move was not an easy one. I have been working in an EU context for almost 25 years, representing stevedores, ship agents, port authorities and - during the last four years - shipping companies. However, I feel I cannot miss the unique opportunity to complement this experience with the global challenge that IAPH offers. I warmly thank Niels and the members of the Presidency, all members and not least the team at the ECSA secretariat for the great cooperation and support over the past years."

Verhoeven has been a key voice for European shipowners during his four-year tenure at the ECSA. In October, following the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) implementation of the 0.5 percent global sulphur cap for 2020, Verhoeven said: "It is good news that IMO took a decision on the global deadline as shipowners need certainty. Year 2020 is tomorrow however, so we have to speed up work on implementation. In particular, we have to ensure that there is quality fuel available everywhere in the world and that adequate enforcement measures are in place to ensure a global level playing field."

Earlier this year, Verhoeven was adamant that establishing a regional EU Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) if the IMO does not have a comparable system in place could negatively impact a future IMO-level agreement.

"The request of [the European] Parliament to already have a system comparable to the EU ETS operating globally two years earlier ignores and jeopardises the international commitment that IMO countries, including all EU Member States, have signed up to," Verhoeven said in February.

The ECSA confirmed on Wednesday that the search process for a new Secretary General has started and that an executive search company is being selected to manage the recruitment process.

Image: Patrick Verhoeven, Secretary General of the ECSA.