Tim Mooney – Chairman

Tim Mooney is president of Fire Island Ferries, Fire Island Water Taxi and Fire Island Terminal, responsible for providing ferry, water taxi, freight and parking services originating from their Long Island, New York facility and servicing the communities of Fire Island, a 32 mile-long barrier beach. With a fleet of 25 vessels they provide transportation and related services to over 1 million passengers a year. Tim has a BS/BA from Nichols College in economics and computer science and started his career in the computer industry. He spent 25 years working with IBM, Wang Laboratories and Parametric Technology Corporation. In 2003 Tim left the computer industry to join his father to help run Fire Island Ferries. Since joining his father, he and his staff have worked to implement many new systems in support of websites, ticketing, freight billing, parking and advertising creating numerous incremental ridership and revenue opportunities for the organization. Tim has served on the Interferry Board since 2013.

Götz Becker – Vice-Chairman

Götz Becker, born 1967, is CEO of the FRS group of companies (Förde Reederei Seetouristik GmbH & Co. KG).

FRS looks back on a shipping history of more than 150 years. Today, the shipping company is one of Europe’s leading ferry specialists, having grown from a regional ferry operator to an internationally active business group operating 55 vessels with more than 2,000 employees worldwide.

FRS, with its headquarter in the north German city of Flensburg, has a portfolio that comprises of 16 vessel-operating-subsidiaries located in northern and southern Europe, North Africa, the Middle East and North America. FRS carries on numerous national and international ferry and catamaran lines around 7.9 million passengers and 2.1 million vehicles every year. Nowadays FRS owns, manages and operates a varied fleet of conventional ferries, double-ended ferries, water taxis, six solar powered passenger boats and a broad variety of high-speed catamarans. FRS has operated in total more than 20 different High Speed Crafts (HSC) half of which were built under the order of FRS.

Götz Becker has been with FRS since 1994, CEO since 2005. In 2015, he joined the OPC committee of Interferry, since 2019 Götz became Chair of Interferry‘s OPC committee. One year later, he joined the DNV•GL committee. Götz has been member of the board of directors of Interferry since 2016.

 Ronny Moriana Glindemann – President

Ronny Moriana Glindemann, born in 1972, serves as the Co-Managing Director, alongside Tim Gädecken, at FRS Iberia/Maroc, a subsidiary of the FRS (Förde Reederei Seetouristik GmbH & Co. KG).

Established in the year 2000, FRS Iberia/Maroc stands as the sole ferry company that currently operates in all the ports along the Strait of Gibraltar. The company operates five high-speed catamarans, two classic car ferries, and one RoRo ferry.

Over the span of two decades, the Iberia/Maroc branch has achieved remarkable success in the face of fierce competition. Capitalizing on the growing Moroccan economy and the flourishing bilateral trade between Spain and Morocco, FRS Iberia/Maroc now handles an annual transport volume exceeding 2 million passengers, 350,000 vehicles, and 150,000 cargo units. Today, the company proudly holds the top position in the ferry traffic market between Spain and Morocco, demonstrating profound expertise in both fast ferry operations and freight transportation.

Prior to joining FRS Iberia/Maroc in 2016, Ronny held executive positions within the German and Danish retail markets. Ronny resides in Estepona, Spain, and is happily married to Uta, with whom he shares four sons.

Mark MacDonald – Treasurer

Mark MacDonald, QC is Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Atlantic Ferries Holdings Limited and subsidiary operating companies including Bay Ferries Limited and Northumberland Ferries Limited. This group of companies operates conventional and high-speed vehicle and passenger ferry services in Eastern Canada (including Canada to USA) and has undertaken various specific management and technical assignments elsewhere in the world.

Mark is a lawyer by profession having previously been a partner of Atlantic Canada law firm Stewart McKelvey until 2003 with professional practice concentrated in the shipping and transportation, energy, construction, and natural resources industries. He was appointed Queen’s Counsel in 1999.

In addition to serving as Director of Interferry, Mark is a Member of the Board of Directors and/or Advisory Boards of several leading private companies in Atlantic Canada. He served as Chair of the Halifax Port Authority (2007-2012) and was previously a Director of the Authority. He has also served as a member of Canada’s Marine Transportation Advisory Council, a group of Canadian marine industry leaders that serves as liaison between the Canadian marine industry and the Government of Canada.

Claes Berglund

Claes Berglund is a senior executive in the shipping industry. As a Director of Public Affairs and Sustainability at Stena and active in many shipping organizations, he is a major influencer of shipping policy in Europe and globally. He holds a Bachelor in Science and is an officer in the Royal Swedish Navy (reserve). Before coming into the shipping world 15 years ago he had 12 years in road-based transport and third party logistic services.

Stena AB has activities within ferries, tankers, ports, offshore drilling, ship management, real estate and other investments. The group has a €4 billion turnover, 15,000 employees and operates more than 160 vessels worldwide. Stena is active in the challenge of finding sustainable energy sources for the shipping industry and has among other things introduces the world’s first methanol ferry.

Torben Carlsen

Torben Carlsen (54) was appointed President & CEO of Danish Ferry & Transport Group DFDS from 1 May 2019. He joined the company in 2009 as CFO and was, among other things, responsible for DFDS’ acquisition of Ferry and Transport Group Norfolkline in 2010 as well as other acquisitions, digitisation of DFDS and major change projects. Torben has a broad and international managerial background, with leading positions in Switzerland and the USA, primarily within the airline industry. In addition to this comes experience from private equity. He holds an MSc in Finance and various board positions in the finance and shipping industries.

Robert Clifford

Bob Clifford is the founder and Chairman of the Incat group of companies. The Incat Tasmania shipbuilding business has developed over five decades, now building a range from small commercial ferries through to very large vehicle carrying wave piercing catamarans.

Robert is still very actively involved with the design and production of the Incat product. The Incat shipyard is renowned for producing large high speed wavepiercing catamarans with the focus now as much on operating efficiency as speed.

Incat vessels operate around the world, Incat built vessels have now held the Hales Trophy continuously since 1990, and LNG powered Francisco operating in Argentina is the world’s fastest large passenger Ro-Ro.

Bernard Dwyer

Mr. Bernard Dwyer has been the Chief Executive Officer TT-Line  Company Pty. Ltd. since November 3, 2014. Mr. Dwyer serves as a Director of the Tourism Industry Council Tasmania, a member of  the Brand Tasmanian Board and a member of the Tasmanian State Government’s Access Working Group.

Mr. Dwyer has significant experience in the Tasmanian tourism sector, working prior to TT-Line for 14 years in various senior management positions with the Federal Group, including nearly nine years as its Director of Tourism. During his tenure at Federal Group, Mr. Dwyer oversaw the development of the Saffire property on the east coast and assisted in developing the Federal Group’s tourism portfolio under the nationally awarded Pure Tasmania brand.

Prior to joining the Federal Group in 2000, Mr. Dwyer worked as a management consultant for KPMG Tasmania and Pricewaterhouse Coopers in Sydney and in various senior management roles with the former Trust Bank and SBT Bank – Tasmania.

Emanuele Grimaldi

Emanuele Grimaldi was born in Naples (Italy) in 1956 and, after finishing the military high school of “Nunziatella”, he studied at the University of Naples obtaining the Degree in Economics and Commerce with “summa cum laude” in December 1980. After his studies he immediately started working at the Grimaldi Group’s companies, founded by his father Guido and uncles in the late 40’s. Throughout his professional career, he has covered various top managerial positions, both in Italy and abroad.

Within the Group’s organization, Emanuele has gradually taken the helm of the Euro-Mediterranean short-sea services and motorways of the sea network, thus heavily contributing to their remarkable development over the last 20 years.

Emanuele is currently Chairman of Grimaldi Euromed SpA, Managing Director of Grimaldi Group SpA and Board Member of Grimaldi Deepsea SpA, President and CEO of Finnlines Plc, President of Minoan Lines and Malta Motorways of the Sea and Board Member of ACL. He is also Past President of Confitarma (Italian Shipowners’ Association) as well as Board Member and Past President of ECSA  (European Community Shipowners’ Associations), Vice Chairmen of ICS (International Chamber of Shipping), Board Member of Interferry Inc. and Board Member of Rina SpA.

Nicolas Jimenez

Nicolas Jimenez joined BC Ferries, one of the largest ferry operators in the world, in March 2023. As President and CEO, he provides leadership and strategic direction to ensure safe, reliable and affordable ferry service in coastal British Columbia. His focus on delivering an important public service is matched by his commitment to great customer experiences.

Prior to joining BC Ferries, Nicolas spent almost 20 years at the Insurance Corporation of British Columbia, one of Canada’s largest property and casualty insurers. He served in a number of senior roles, including five years as President and CEO. Earlier in his career, he worked in strategy and public sector management, including roles in the Parliament of Canada, the Privy Council Office (Government of Canada), BC Hydro and IBM Global Business Services.

Nicolas has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from both Harvard University and the University of Victoria as well as a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science from Wilfrid Laurier University.

Outside of work, Nicolas sits on many boards, councils and advisory bodies, both industry groups and non-profits. He also enjoys spending as much time as possible in the mountains, skiing, biking or climbing.

Terry MacRae

Running a marine hospitality company wasn’t exactly the course Terry MacRae expected to take when he received his BS in Mechanical Engineering at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. After launching his career as an environmental engineer, MacRae rose through the ranks of Industrial Clean Air and later Ecolaire Systems, Inc., which acquired it. As Ecolaire’s vice president of sales, MacRae was always on the lookout for interesting venues for client entertainment and employee motivation. That’s when he discovered and later acquired a small charter yacht business in Berkeley, CA. MacRae eventually bought out his early partners and investors, and over the past four decades built Hornblower Group, boat by boat, into the largest private dining, charter cruise and ferry company in North America. As his company dramatically grew its fleet and number of employees, its focus expanded from chartering private yachts for corporate events to operating cruises as a setting for school dances, weddings, gala fundraisers, social events, film shoots and private parties of all sizes and types. Beginning from its San Francisco roots, Hornblower Group has grown into a global organization through both organic and M&A initiatives. With a portfolio today covering 112 countries and territories, 125 U.S. cities and serves more than 25 million unique guests annually. MacRae has worked hard to ensure that its mission remained the same: to deliver amazing experiences with an emphasis on safety, customer service and teamwork.

Seamus Murphy

Seamus Murphy is the Executive Director of the San Francisco Bay Area Water Emergency Transportation Authority (WETA), which operates SF Bay Ferry service throughout the region.

Prior to joining WETA, Murphy spent over a decade overseeing external affairs and strategic communications for the San Mateo County Transit District (District), which operates the Caltrain commuter rail system and SamTrans bus service. As the District’s Chief Communications Officer, Murphy led efforts to secure funding for transformative projects including the $2 billion Caltrain Electrification Project. He was also responsible for passing state legislation that paved the way for voter approval of revenue measures creating over $200 million/year in new transportation investment for improvements and services throughout the Peninsula.

Murphy has been recognized as a leader focused on building strong coalitions that can effectively advocate for solutions to the industry’s most pressing challenges. He is a recipient of Mass Transit Magazine’s “Top 40 Under 40” award and is a key player in local, regional, state and national efforts to sustain, improve, and expand public transportation for all who depend on it.

Anders Ørgård

Anders Ørgård is Chief Commercial Officer of OSK Group comprising OSK-ShipTech A/S and Steen Friis Design A/S, a leading Danish marine consultancy group specializing in innovative ferry designs and ship interiors.

He spends the majority of his time advising shipowners on Fleet Strategy, Concept Development and Technical Advisory on tender processes and negotiation of newbuilding projects.

Anders holds a master’s degree in Naval Architecture and Engineering from the Technical University of Denmark and is a specialist in the field of RoRo and RoPax ferries, innovative concept designs, passenger flow, and on-board experience economy.

Mauricio Orozco

Mauricio Orozco is President of the Ultramar / Aquaworld Group in the state of Quintana Roo, México. In mid-1989 he joined his brother Germán to be part of Aquaworld as Vice President and was responsible for maintenance and operations of their fleet. In 2003 Germán and Mauricio started Ultramar, a passenger ferry corporation. Mauricio has been a hands on person and has been involved in the design, construction and operation of their vessels. The fleet has grown from one monohull with a 350 passenger capacity to a fleet of 23 monohulls and catamarans, capable of transporting more than 7,523 passengers in one seating. Germán and Mauricio formed UltraCarga in 2018, which owns and operates RoRo Ferries, and currently provides service to two runs in the Yucatan Peninsula of México.

Chet Pastrana

Christopher Pastrana founded the CAPP Group of Companies involved in the trading of bulk raw materials for the cement industry. In 2002, he ventured into tug and barge operations. In the same year, he started Philharbor Ferries and Port Services and Archipelago Philippine Ferries which connects the major Philippine Islands with RoRo service. He has since expanded into ship management, ship repair, port operations and maritime training.

“Chet” is currently the President of the Philippine RoRo Operators Association, an organization of shipowners closely collaborating with the government with the goal of improving and strengthening its niche in the maritime industry. He holds a Master’s Degree in Entrepreneurship from the Asian Institute of Management, has completed the Executive Leadership Program at MIT, and he holds the rank of Captain in the Philippine Coast Guard Auxiliary.

Supapan Pichaironarongsongkram

Mrs. Supapan Pichaironarongsongkram is the Chairperson of Chao Phraya Express Boat Co., Ltd., Chao Phraya Tourist Boat Co., Ltd., and the Supatra Group of companies. Supapan oversees the operations of these companies, which has a fleet of over 90 vessels and transports over 12,000,000 passengers a year along the Chao Phraya River.

Chao Phraya Express Boat is currently in the process of modernizing its fleet by replacing wooden boats with aluminum catamarans.
Supapan received her B.A degree from American University in Washington DC, and an EMBA from Sasin Graduate Institute of Business Administration of Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok. She has received numerous awards including “The Leading Women Entrepreneurs of the World “ in Vancouver, 2005 and “ASEAN Outstanding Women Entrepreneurs” from Vietnam Women Entrepreneurs Council in Hanoi, Vietnam 2015. She is also active with leading roles in various organizations. Supapan was the President and founder of The Thai Boat Association, her most recent position is an Advisor to the President of the President of the National Assembly of Thailand.

The Supatra Group of Companies celebrate our 100th Anniversary of river transportation this year.

Matthew Portelli

Matthew Portelli is the Managing Director of Virtu Holdings Limited, a family owned, ship owning company, established in 1945; he joined the Group in 2007 and is an executive director of Virtu Ferries Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Virtu Holdings.

Virtu Ferries operates high speed ferries between Malta and Sicily, Spain and Morocco, Venice and Adriatic ports, and between the two main islands of the Maltese Archipelago. Matthew has a major role in the Company’s operations with an interest in the group’s present and future environmental responsibilities.

Virtu has diverse shipping interest including offshore bunkering, ship management and STS fendering operations. The Group’s other activities include hospitality and real estate.

Matthew is an MBA graduate of the University of Maastricht.

Anders Rundberg

Anders Rundberg is the founder and CEO of Carus, the world leading commercial IT solution provider of consumer facing solutions to the passenger shipping industry.

As CEO, Anders has led Carus through their acquisition by Anite Travel Systems and the subsequent Management Buy Out which returned ownership predominantly to the original management and staff and, more recently, the merger with Winpos to form the Carus Winpos Group.

Anders has been part of the passenger shipping industry for his whole life and it is his vision that has guided the evolution of the company’s core Reservations, Departure Control and Administration solution to todays integrated Passenger Experience Platform, that can manage all aspects of the Customer Journey to maximize the revenue and customer satisfaction.

Anders is a Master in Business Economics from the Åbo Akademi University in Turku, Finland and an active Rotarian.

David Sopta

David Sopta is president of the management board of Jadrolinija, Croatia’s largest passenger shipping company with a 100 year long tradition. He graduated as a Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering and has finished Postgraduate study from the Faculty of Economics and Business. Prior to Jadrolinija, he was Manager of International Affairs at international marketing agency. During his professional career David was Deputy Minister in Croatian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. He was also Board Member of the Croatian largest insurance company. Through his career he gained experience in management of foreign investments and capital projects. Furthermore, David has a large experience in business development and corporate management with high sense of initiative and entrepreneurship.

Per Westling

Per Westling has been employed by Stena since 1985. In addition to a M.Sc. degree in Naval Architecture from Chalmers Technical University of Gothenburg, Sweden, Per is trained as an Engineer within the Royal Swedish Navy. Within the Stena group he has been project manager for several newbuildings and major conversion projects but also served for five years within the Stena Line Ship Management division. In 2001 he moved to Stena RoRo as Conversion Manager, took on the role of Deputy Managing Director in 2008 and subsequently Managing Director in 2011.

Heidi Wolden

Heidi Wolden is CEO of Norled AS, one of Norway’s largest ferry and express boat companies in Norway.

Wolden joined Norled in 2020, after three years as CEO of Kruse Smith. She has previously worked for Equinor where she held several management positions along most of the value chain within oil and gas, primarily within strategy, business development and finance. Heidi Wolden holds a Master’s degree in science from Nord University Business School, an MBA from NHH and executive education from the University of Berkeley in California and London Business School.