Hamburg, 7 May 2010 - Cruise Europe has appointed a managing director for the first time in its 20-year history at a time when the European cruise arena is taking centre stage.Dirk Moldenhauer, chairman Cruise Europe, comments: “We made this decision in recognition of the amount of work that is needed to take Cruise Europe on to the next phase in its development. It is not possible to fulfill our future goals without a full-time managing director.”
Jens Skrede will take up the role on July 1. Having worked as managing director for Destination Stryn & Nordfjord since 1999 he is no stranger to the cruise industry. Of his new appointment, he says: “I am delighted to have been appointed. I think Cruise Europe has a huge potential to become an even more important association for the cruising industry.”
Cruise Europe has identified four key areas for development and it is these that will be the focus of Skrede’s appointment:
*Working in close cooperation with the four regions represented - Europe West Coast; United Kingdom & Ireland; Iceland, Norway & Faroes; and the Baltic - to strengthen the understanding and coherence between them.
*Maintaining close connections with the cruise lines, particularly with reference to future deployment, safety and the environment.
*Lobbying on behalf of its members on matters concerning organisations such as the European Cruise Council, European Sea Ports Organisation, European Community Shipowners Association, Cruise Lines International Association and the UK Passenger Shipping Association.
*Marketing Northern and Western Europe as a unified cruise destination including the ongoing development of the website.
Moldenhauer will continue as chairman for two more years but the positions of executive director and marketing director will cease to exist. Present postholders Vibeke Jorgensen of Aarhus and Monica Bengtsson of Helsingborg, respectively, will remain on the council. Nadine Palatz of Hamburg will step down as secretary/treasurer from July 1 on and will not be replaced, as this task will be in responsibilities of the new managing director as well.
The association now numbers 99 member ports and four associates.
