Michael Christian Storgaard bids the industry 'good bye' after 17 years at Maersk

Michael Christian Storgaard, the well-respected and much-liked senior press officer for Maersk, has announced he is to leave the company after nearly 17 years.

In his ‘good bye’ email to journalists, he continued to make waves, calling the shipping industry a “commodity with a lemming affect”, with “an inclination to sell itself short”.

During his long tenure at the formerly secretive shipping line, he helped oversee its transformation into one of the most outgoing companies, including through its social media presence which took the social media world by storm.

“Hopefully I have been able to shed a bit of light into the dark side,” he wrote. “I do believe we have come some way since 2006 where Robert Wright wrote in FT:

The capacity of its ships, which Maersk is thought systematically to understate, is one of many mysteries surrounding Maersk Line – which boasts nearly twice the vessel capacity of its next largest competitor – and AP Møller-Maersk, its parent. Unlike other quoted shipping companies, it does not reveal how many full containers Maersk Line carries in a year. In fact, Maersk reveals little more about its activities than the minimum required by the Copenhagen Stock Exchange and says almost nothing about its corporate strategy.”

Mr Storgaard leaves the line on June 16, having been diagnosed with cancer four years ago, he said he wanted to “enjoy life”.

He called his years at the shipping line “fun, exciting, interesting, and never dull”.

“I will miss container shipping … I will miss Maersk. But most of all I will miss the people. It has been a privilege and never boring.

“Thanks people, fair winds and following seas.”

The Loadstar joins all our colleagues in the press in thanking Michael for his services to the industry, and wishing him all the very best for the future.