The European Community Shipowners' Associations (ECSA) has named DFDS chief executive Niels Smedegaard as its new president.

The Dane is due to start in January 2016 replacing Thomas Rehder who has been at the helm of ECSA since December 2013.

Panagiotis Laskaridis, founder and chief executive of Laskaridis Shipping has been named as vice-president.

“Building on the excellent work of my predecessor, my focus as the new ECSA President will be on highlighting the importance of shipping and that we, as industry, become even more proactive in finding solutions to the challenges that lie ahead,” said Smedegaard.

“The