Peter Swift, who was appointed after an extensive search-process, is currently Director of shipbrokers Seascope Shipping Ltd in London, with responsibility for Projects and Period business and new business development.

Before joining Seascope Peter Swift had a 24-year career with the Shell Group where his last position was General Manager for Shell International Trading and Shipping Co. Ltd., responsible i.a. for Business Development, Portfolio Management, Globalisation and Change Management.

After pursuing an academic career as the Assistant Director for Marine Transport Economics at the University of Michigan, Dr. Peter Swift, who holds a Master of Science and a Ph. D in Engineering, joined the Shell Group as a naval architect with Shell International Marine Ltd in 1975 and subsequently held a number of key positions within the Shell organisation.

INTERTANKO’s Chairman Mr. Westye Høegh says:  

We are delighted to welcome Dr. Peter Swift to the INTERTANKO team. INTERTANKO is pleased that the executive search process resulted in a so well qualified candidate as Peter Swift. He has long experience in the tanker industry and is very well known and respected within the industry. Peter Swift has also been involved in INTERTANKO’s work as the Chairman of INTERTANKO’s Market Research Group, and as a Member of INTERTANKO’s Communications and Public Relations Committee, so he already knows the organisation well. He has also been previously involved with other shipping organisations including the UK Chamber of Shipping and the International Chamber of Shipping.

Dr. Swift will initially be based in Oslo for familiarisation, but the intention is that after a period he will be based in London where INTERTANKO intends to develop its presence further.

   INTERTANKO’s acting Managing Director, Mr. Svein Ringbakken, who has headed  the organisation on an interim basis since this summer, will move to London in the New Year and lead the expansion of  INTERTANKO in London.

Mr. Westye Høegh continues:

We have been very happy with the job Svein Ringbakken and the whole management team at INTERTANKO have done in this period and are extremely grateful that he was willing to take on the challenge of being acting Managing Director.  Svein Ringbakken will continue in this position until Peter Swift joins the organisation at which time he will assume the position as Deputy Managing Director. We are confident that the new INTERTANKO top management team will prove to be very valuable to the membership and the shipping industry.

Mr. Høegh continues:

I believe INTERTANKO continues to do an outstanding job in representing the tanker owners in the various fora where decisions with an impact on tanker ownership and operations are taken. Many of the issues which have surfaced in public debate over the last few years have been on INTERTANKO’s agenda for a considerable time with the active involvement of its specialist committees under the direction of the INTERTANKO Council and Executive Committee. This has, in my view, put the organisation in a position to make its views known quickly and engage early in discussions, giving  INTERTANKO an increased possibility to influence the outcome of such discussions.

The new Managing Director, Dr. Swift points out:

INTERTANKO has in recent months been constructively engaged in virtually all of the important issues affecting tanker owners such as:  the discussions around the Erika incident; the analysis of the potential impact of the various phase-out proposals and discussions in the IMO; the development of an appropriate Condition Assessment System; tanker safety discussions in the EU; class issues and the fight against unilateral regulation of shipping, to mention but a few.

We have to maintain this focus on key issues for all tanker owners and continue to develop the international character of INTERTANKO through the regional offices and panels, which have proved extremely valuable in securing a broad based input to the organisation’s activities. The further development of partnerships and co-operation with other organizations and associations representing shipping and related industries will strengthen INTERTANKO's ability to achieve its aims and represent the best interests of its members. Additionally the continued development of INTERTANKO’s support and information services will be an integral component of the organisation's activities.

For further information, please contact:

Westye Høegh,  +47 22 86 97 00/ +47 91 33 30 84
E-mail: wh@hoegh.no  

Peter Swift, (Mobile):  +44 7970 606 618
E-mail: petermswift@hotmail.com

Click here to download high-resolution image of Dr. Peter Swift (279KB)
Click here to download high-resolution image of Mr. Westye Høegh (218KB)
Click here to download high-resolution image of Mr. Svein Ringbakken (243KB)

INTERTANKO is the International Association of Independent Tanker Owners, representing 73% of the world’s independent tanker tonnage afloat in the world today.  As a worldwide non-profit organisation, INTERTANKO represents 260 tanker owners from 45 countries. In addition INTERTANKO represents 300 associate members from various sectors of the maritime industry. INTERTANKO maintains offices in Oslo, London, Singapore and Washington DC.

INTERTANKO is committed to working for safe transport, cleaner seas and free competition.  To achieve  these goals, INTERTANKO works with private shipping companies, other international associations and state, federal and international regulatory and law-making authorities to improve marine safety and environmental protection through technically sound, cost-effective regulations and policies.