Emanuele Grimaldi is stepping down as chief executive of Finnlines, the Baltic ro-ro and passenger ferry company that he has run for nine years.

The Italian shipowner will be replaced at the Grimaldi Group-controlled company by fellow Finnlines executive member Tom Pippingskold.

Grimaldi will remain as chairman of the Helsinki-based operation, where he is taking over from long-time chairman Jon-Aksel Torgesen.