Safmarine has appointed Dirk Hoffmann as the new Safmarine Southern Africa Cluster Manager*.  Dirk succeeds Jonathan Horn, who took up the position of Southern Africa Cluster Manager for Maersk Line in October 2012.

South African-born Dirk returns to South Africa after having spent an expatriation period of nine years with Maersk in the United Kingdom.  Dirk, who has been with the AP Moller Maersk Group for 15 years, brings with him a wealth of international experience in the containerised shipping industry.

“I look forward to returning to South Africa, the ‘spiritual home’ of the Safmarine brand and to working with the Safmarine Southern Africa team and our Customers. I accept this new challenge and will ensure our Customers remain the centre of what we do and that we continue to deliver on our promise of being the people making the difference in shipping,” commented Dirk on his appointment.

Dirk will commence his new role in December 2012 and will be based at Safmarine Quay in Cape Town.

*The Southern Africa Cluster includes South Africa, Mozambique, Lesotho, Botswana, Swaziland, Namibia, Zambia, Zimbabwe and Malawi.

CV  – Dirk Hoffmann

Dirk was born in Worcester in the Western Cape, South Africa.

Career highlights:

• Dirk started his shipping career in 1995 when he joined Afromar (subsidiary of Clarksons PLC) in Johannesburg as a shipbroker.
• After completion of his National service in the South African Navy, Dirk enrolled at the University of Stellenbosch where he graduated with a B. Comm Degree (International Economics and Shipping Economics) and in 2002 he obtained his Master’s Degree in Maritime Management.
• Dirk started his career with the A.P. Moller Maersk Group in South Africa in 1997 and moved to London in 2004. Dirk’s most recent role was in Centre Reefer Management in Copenhagen.
• Dirk is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers.