United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) president and chief executive officer Ken Bloch Soerensen will step down by the end of this month, said the company's board.

Soerensen is leaving after the successful completion of his four-year contract with the company that ends on May 31. Sorensen’s successor would be decided after a key meeting on Thursday, the board said in a statement.

Soerensen had joined UASC back in June 2005 to assume the responsibility of carrying forward the board’s growth plans, sustain its role as a regional market leader and develop adequate strategies for the purpose besides  competing on a more global scale, it said.

"Those have been four remarkable years for me with UASC and a great rewarding experience” said Soerensen.

"I believe the company has the necessary solid foundation and is positioned to deliver against the strategic goals that it has set forth for itself," Soerensen remarked.

"I would like to wish the management and all the people of UASC much success in the future, and I thank them for the  exceptional fulfilling journey I have had at UASC," he added.

Prior to joining UASC, Soerensen was the executive director of European Liner Affairs Association (ELAA) Brussels, Belgium – an industry association which represents the top 25 container lines’ interests in Europe particularly vis-à-vis the European commission and other institutions.

Soerensen had spent over 23 years building extensive experience in the container transportation industry which included his association with AP Moller – Maersk and senior management positions with APL.

The UASC board and management thanked Soerensen for his significant leadership and contributions over the past four years.-TradeArabia News Service