MAERSK Line's chief executive officer Eivind Kolding is likely to become chairman of Denmark's largest bank, Danske Bank, since its present chairman Alf Duch-Pedersen announced he would stand down at its next general meeting March 29.
The move coincides with the Danish lender's new share issue worth DKK20 billion (US$3.6 billion) to fund payment of its state loan valued at DKK24 billion.
Maersk owns a 20 per cent stake in Danske Bank, one of the biggest banks in Scandinavia, and will need to fund its share in order to retain a controlling stake, said London's Containerisation International.
The news follows the Danish carrier's record ship orders for the largest class vessel of ten 18,000 TEU valued at US$2 billion, a deal worth $5.7 billion should an option to purchase a further 20 be exercised.
The Triple-E vessels with specifications of 400 metres length, 59 metres wide and 73 metres high will be built by Korea's Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering for delivery 2013 to 2015.
(Source:http://www.schednet.com)