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The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) has appointed Martin Dorsman as its new Secretary General in Brussels. Dorsman will start in his new position on November 1, 2017.

Dorsman will move to ECSA from the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners (KVNR), where he has held the position of managing director since 2011. Before that, he worked for five years as the association's Deputy Managing Director.

Dorsman has a Doctorate Degree in Macro Economic Policy and over 30 years of experience of different leadership roles. Prior to his time at the Royal Association of Netherlands Shipowners he worked as a civil servant for the Dutch Government, including six years at the shipping policy department.

He has also contributed to the work of organisations such as the International Chamber of Shipping, the European Sustainable Shipping Forum and has chaired ECSA's Shipping Policy Committee and Taxation Working Group.

"The Board recognizes his strong expertise and experience in the global shipping policy matters and appreciates the knowledge of the ECSA organisation he will bring with him. We would like to warmly welcome Mr. Dorsman onboard and look forward to the future cooperation with him," commented ECSA President Niels Smedegaard.

"I look forward to joining the ECSA team and working with them and ECSA's international partners to promote the interests of European shipping and international trade. ECSA will continue to play a pro-active role in important topics such as the reduction of CO2-emissions of shipping while at the same time safeguarding and strengthening the business climate in Europe for shipping," Dorsman said.