Svitzer, leading global towage operator and part of Maersk, has today announced the appointment of Gareth Prowse as its new global Head of Decarbonisation.

With an academic background in marine ecology, centring on environmental risk, pollution prevention and ecotoxicology, Gareth joins Svitzer from marine coatings manufacturer Hempel. In his new role as Svitzer’s global Head of Decarbonisation, Gareth will leverage his vast experience to set an ambitious sustainability strategy for Svitzer and drive new products and offerings within decarbonisation, with special consideration paid to how Svitzer can support its customers to decarbonise. The appointment comes at a timely moment for the organisation as it responds to customer demands for green towage options.

Commenting on Gareth’s appointment, Kasper Nilaus, CEO, Svitzer, said: “I am very pleased that Gareth has joined us to lead our ambitions and our initiatives around decarbonisation. As leading global towage operator and as part of Maersk, we share the responsibility of decarbonising the industry, and the appointment of a Head of Decarbonisation is testament to this commitment. We want to be a low carbon partner to our customers, contributing positively to their environmental footprint while also actively reducing our own. Gareth’s tremendous experience setting sustainability agendas and his deep knowledge of regulatory affairs will enable us to support our customers through their decarbonisation transition.”

Gareth’s expertise will enable Svitzer to set global decarbonisation targets for its global fleet of 440 tugs. As a first step, Gareth will assess where Svitzer currently sits in terms of environmental impact. He will also drive the company’s initiatives to market and scale new products and services that will enable decarbonisation for customers in the first and last mile of shipping. Svitzer is already exploring options for how it can expand its services in the port environment to support sustainability, including a hull performance offering that would help to tackle the critical challenge of vessel operational efficiency for customers.

Gareth Prowse, Svitzer’s incoming Head of Decarbonisation, said: “I could not be more excited to join Svitzer to help set its decarbonisation strategy. Towage is unique in that it straddles the boundaries between ocean and port, with unique challenges for our fleet to overcome from a regulatory perspective as a result. I am ready to benchmark where we currently stand as a major player in our industry and develop the strategy that will take us – as well as our customers – to a decarbonised future.”

Gareth holds a PhD from the University of Plymouth and in his previous roles he was a well-known representative and advocate for a sustainable coatings industry, and held a number of positions including time as Chairman of the World Coatings Council and Antifouling Coatings Committee. Gareth has joined Svitzer’s Extended Leadership Team and is working from the company’s global headquarters in Copenhagen, where he lives with his family.