Maersk to Consider Splitting Its Operations?

Danish shipping and energy conglomerate Maersk Group is considering a number of strategic and structural options, one of which might be splitting up the group’s operations, according to Bloomberg.

The company’s business units are self-running, therefore the group is looking where to go next, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Michael Pram Rasmussen, told Bloomberg.

Maersk Group’s Board of Directors will now review whether to continue operating with five distinct businesses together or whether it should split.

The Maersk Group is made up of five core businesses which include Maersk Line, APM Terminals, Maersk Oil, Maersk Drilling and APM Shipping Services.

The announcement follows Maersk’s latest shift in management as the group appointed Søren Skou as new Chief Executive Officer of A.P. Møller – Mærsk A/S, replacing Nils S. Andersen, effective July 1, 2016.

Skou has been a member of the Executive Board of A.P. Møller – Mærsk since 2006, and in 2012, he was appointed CEO of Maersk Line.

For now, Skou will continue to hold his position of Maersk Line CEO in addition to his new role.

Following the announcement, Maersk Group’s shares surged by 12 percent.

World Maritime News Staff