The Greenlandic government, Naalakkersuisut, is now making changes at the top of the self-governing shipping company Royal Arctic Line. Board Chairman Pâviâraq Heilmann is leaving his position and is replaced by the previous deputy chairman Inooraq Brandt.
The change was decided at an extraordinary general meeting in the loss-making shipping company, which was held in Nuuk on Monday afternoon.
“You have a major task in ensuring that the country’s towns and smaller settlements receive freight without difficulty and stably,” said the Greenlandic government leader Jens-Frederik Nielsen, according to Sermitsiaq, directly addressing the new board chairman after the meeting.
The extraordinary general meeting comes after the shipping company in August published a loss of 56 million DKK for the first half of the year, and simultaneously downgraded expectations for the result for the entire year.
Behind the loss lies lower demand, which comes at a time when there is a prospect of increased costs and an expensive fleet renewal.
The new board chairman acknowledges that he is entering a difficult task:
“It is a difficult task to have to ensure supply and service for a country with so many settlements. The shipping company’s supply obligation must be ensured through service with respect for the population and the nature we are surrounded by,” says Inooraq Brandt according to the Greenlandic media Sermitsiaq.
-mauh
