Rickmers seeks white knights
Embattled Rickmers Holding has appointed Macquarie Capital to try and get investors to come in and save the German shipping line.
At the start of the month Rickmers became the biggest shipping casualty since Hanjin, officially filing for insolvency on, in the wake of HSH Nordbank failing to approve its restructuring plan.
Chaired by Bertram Rickmers, the group currently own 33 live container vessels, with four more on order, as well as four dry bulkers and two vehicle carriers. The group is also a large vessel charterer, with a total combined chartered and owned fleet comprising of 114 vessels.
Rickmers has just unveiled a management shake-up as it fights for survival. Dr Ignace Van Meenen has resigned as CEO of Rickmers Holding, while a pair of long-term employees Frank Bünte and Holger Strack have been added to the management board of Rickmers Holding.
In its latest release, Rickmers stated: “The operational business and vessel operations of Rickmers Group (in particular ship management services) are running stable within the self-administration of the parent company of the Rickmers Group.”
Mission impossible .Good luck !