ABOUT US
Svitzer is a global market leader providing towage and sustainable marine solutions to customers in 30+ countries across 4 regions. To deliver on its mission of making ports and terminals safer and more efficient, Svitzer employs more than 4,000 skilled people and operates a fleet of over 400 vessels.
- SAFETY
- EFFICIENCY
- PEOPLE
- OUR GLOBAL PRESENCE
At Svitzer, we do difficult things in difficult places and with us, every day is a safe day. The safety of people, assets and the environment where we operate, is the foundation of everything we do. Every day, we work together to ensure the integrity of ports and to provide our customers with safe, reliable and efficient services in ports and terminals across the globe. At Svitzer, Safety comes first.
Safety is a matter of protecting human lives, protecting the environment, and protecting assets, both for our customers and for ourselves. We have a responsibility to always strive to prevent incidents from happening as well as ensure we learn from those that do happen. At Svitzer, we live by these principles every day and everywhere we operate.
We were the first towage company to implement a unified safety management system that complies with OVMSA (Offshore Vessel Management and Self-Assessment). We continuously work to further develop industry standards, by actively taking part in industry forums including OCIMF (Oil Companies International).


We are driven by skilled, professional and dedicated people and we work together as one company to provide safe, reliable and efficient services to our customers.
We support and develop our people’s skills and capabilities and we care for the development of both teams and individuals. To best serve our customers, we strive to ensure the right people and the best teams for the job, every time and we believe diversity is a strength.


MANAGEMENT
KASPER FRIIS NILAUS
Chief Executive Officer
Career
Managing Director, Svitzer Europe
Chief Commercial Officer, Svitzer
Lawyer, Jonas Bruun Law Firm
Officer of the Reserve, Royal Danish Navy
Education
MBA, Nottingham Business School
Master of Law, Copenhagen University

KNUD WINKLER
Chief Finance Officer
Career
Head of Performance & Analysis, APMM Group
Regional Business Performance Director, Maersk Line, North Asia
Regional Chief Financial Officer, Maersk Line, Middle East
Education
MSc in Business Administration and Auditing
Accelerated Management Program, INSEAD

INGRID UPPELSCHOTEN-SNELDERWAARD
Chief Operating Officer
Career
Head of Equipment - Maersk Ocean & Logistics
East Central Europe Managing Director - Maersk Line
Trade Manager Mediterranean - North America - Maersk Line
Trade Manager Europe - Canada - Maersk Line
Managing Director Tanzania - Maersk Line
Managing Director Namibia - Maersk Line
Route manager Middle East Central Europe - Maersk Line
Education
BA in general business, Nyenrode University, Netherlands
Degree in Economics & Languages Hogeschool Zeeland, Netherlands

VIDELINA GEORGIEVA
Chief Commercial Officer
Career
Head of Strategy, Portfolio and Performance Management, Svitzer
Head of Business Development, Svitzer
Regional Head of Business Development, Svitzer Asia Pte Ltd
Regional Commercial and Business Development Manager, Svitzer Australia
Manager, Terminals and Intermodal Cost Management, Maersk Line
Education
Maersk International Shipping Education
BA (Hons) International Finance and Trade, University of Portsmouth

LARS EVEN RASMUSSEN
Chief Human Resources Officer
Career
Head of Organisation Development, A.P. Møller - Mærsk
HR Business Partner Logistics, IT & Group Support, VELUX
Education
Copenhagen Business School, Ph.D., Economics
Aarhus University, Masters, Economics
KGI, Existential and Gestalt Psychotherapy

MICHALA PAULLI
Head of Communications
Career
Internal Communications Lead, Maersk Line
Global Communications Manager, ISS World Services
Education
Journalist, Danish School of Journalism

JACOB ULRIK
General Counsel
Career
Head of Legal, Maersk Tankers
Legal Counsel, Borealis
Associate, Gorrissen Federspiel
Education
Executive MBA, INSEAD
Master of Law, Copenhagen University

NICOLAI FRIIS
Managing Director, AMEA
Career
Chief Operating Officer, Svitzer AMEA
Chief Commerical Officer, Svitzer AMEA
Head of Global Sales, Maersk Training
Education
MBA, Henley Business School – Danmark
Business Management/ Establishment

ARJEN VAN DIJK
Managing Director, Americas
Career
Chief Commercial Officer Americas, Svitzer
Commercial Director Marine Services & Fairmount, Boskalis Offshore Energy
Regional Director Americas, Boskalis Offshore Energy
Education
MBA, University of Humberside & Lincolnshire
BA in International Business, HZ University of Applied Sciences

NICOLAJ NOES
Managing Director, Australia
Career
Head of Operations, Maersk Line Asia Pacific
Managing Director, Maersk Australia
Route Director, Maersk Line
Education
EMBA, International Institute for Management Development

LISE DEMANT
Managing Director, Europe
Career
Chief Commercial Officer, Svitzer
Regional Chief Operating Officer, Svitzer Asia
Head of Offshoring, Maersk Tankers
Head of Gas Chartering, Maersk Tankers
Education
Graduate Diploma in Business Administration, Finance, CBS
Accelerated Management Program, INSEAD

180 YEARS OF TOWAGE
With more than 135,000 harbour towage jobs, and over 50,000 LNG tanker assistances every year we take pride in supporting our customer’s supply chain – globally, regionally and locally. As a global leader in towage and marine-related services, we employ more than 4,000 people across 30+ countries.
We are part of Maersk; an integrated container logistics company working to connect and simplify its customers’ supply chains from end to end.

DATING BACK ALMOST TWO CENTURIES
Part of that heritage is a distinct set of principles passed down from our company’s founder that guide our focus on safety, people, vessels and solutions.
These principles have helped us become a company that our customers value for our safety, reliability, local content and focus on doing business in a sustainable manner.

OUR HISTORY
1833

1842
Svitzer buys its first professional diving equipment.

1860

1870

1914-1970
Svitzer gains recognition with its expertise as it continues to assist vessels in distress during turbulent times of war.

1956
Svitzer is chosen by the UN to handle the Suez Canal clearance operation.

1978
Svitzer builds an 11,000 hp and 110 bp vessel - one of the most powerful anchor handling tugs for offshore work at the time.

1979
The Maersk Group becomes majority shareholder and acquires Svitzer.

1999
Svitzer begins its geographical expansion.

2001
The acquisition of the Wijsmiller's operation added 140 vessels in more than 20 countries worldwide, cementing Svitzer's position in global towage.

2007
The acquisition of Adsteam Marine added 150 tugs plus barages, workboats in Australiasia and the UK, effectively continuing to expand Svitzer's footprint.

2012

2017

MAERSK
The mission of these businesses is to enable and facilitate global supply chains and provide opportunities for our customers to trade globally.
As part of Maersk, Svitzer has access to in-depth industry knowledge and insights which can use to provide innovative customised solutions for our customers.

OUR VALUES

SVITZER TUG TOUR
Find out what it looks like inside a Svitzer tug