Saga Welco CEO

As from 1 January 2021, the CEO of Saga Welco AS is Mr. Fumitake Shishido.

8 December 2020, the Saga Welco Board of Directors approved the retirement of Mr. Lars Traaseth at the end of February 2021, appointed Mr. Ulrich Müller as Chairman of the Board with immediate effect and appointed Mr. Fumitake Shishido as new CEO with effect from January 1st, 2021.

Mr. Traaseth joined Saga Forest Carriers Intl. AS as CEO in October 2003. In 2014, he successfully managed to establish a cooperation with Westfal-Larsen Shipping AS creating the Saga Welco Pool and transforming Saga Forest Carriers Intl. AS into Saga Welco AS. Today, Saga Welco AS operates 51 Open Hatch Box Shaped dry bulk carriers world-wide and is the second largest operator of such vessels serving clients ranging from world leading pulp producers to special high care parcel dry bulk / project cargo customers. The Board of Saga Welco AS is very pleased with the success of business Mr. Traaseth has made possible and is much grateful for his professional dedication and contribution to the company. Mr. Traaseth will remain with the company as Advisor until 28th February 2021, and from there on, he has elected to spend his life in a much more relaxed way.

Mr. Ulrich Müller has more than 40 years of experience in the shipping sector spanning shipbroking, chartering, investment advisor and ship owning. Before joining Westfal-Larsen Group in June 2020 as Group CEO of Skibsaktieselskapet Navigation Co. Ltd., he was Chief Executive Officer of Belships ASA for 8 years until March 2019, MD for Spar Shipping AS 1996-2007 and MD/Partner for Viken Marine AS 2007-2011. Mr. Müller was also Chartering Manager for Star Shipping (Vancouver) in 1985-86.

Mr. Fumitake Shishido joined NYK Line Tokyo in April 1982, the world largest shipping company owning 50% of Saga Welco AS and 100% of Saga Shipholding (Norway) AS, the majority tonnage provider to the Saga Welco Pool. During his shipping career at NYK, he has built a wide range of shipping business experience from container shipping to container terminal management, cruise ships and crude oil tankers at 7 different locations in 5 different countries. He has been a board member of Saga Welco AS from April 2019. Prior to joining us, Mr. Shishido was Board Member and Executive Vice President of Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers AS and Board Member of Knutsen NYK LNG Holding AS. Saga Welco AS Board of Directors welcomes Mr. Shishido as new CEO, expecting him to guide and bring the Saga Welco business to the new era of ESG shipping with his knowledge and experience built up through almost 40 years of shipping experience.

The board wishes happy days to Mr. Traaseth and the very best of luck to the incoming Chairman, Mr. Müller and the incoming CEO, Mr. Shishido.

The Board of Saga Welco AS

8 December, 2020
Tønsberg, Norway