Steamers Appoints New Chairman in Hong Kong

Steamers Maritime Holdings Limited (Steamers) has appointed Mr Vincent Ko Woon Chun Executive Chairman of Skyplanet Shipping Limited and Vice-Chairman of Foshan Sinotrans International Transportation Company Limited.

The appointments take effect from 1 January 1995 and run concurrently.

Foshan Sinotrans International Transportation Company is a newly formed joint venture company between Steamers and Foshan Foreign Trade Transportation Corporation. The company will operate the Lanshi Port and Terminal business which has been operating successfully for many years. Since 1985, throughput of the Lanshi Port and Terminal has increased by 20% each year.

The new joint venture company will take over the assets and operations of Lanshi Terminal in February 1995 and will provide shipping, distribution and warehousing services.

Skyplanet Shipping Limited (Skyplanet) is a Hong Kong company operating as a shipping agency for the Foshan- Hong Kong shipping line since 1991. Steamers has acquired a 50% interest in Skyplanet with effect from November 1994.

Mr Ko first joined the Keppel Group in 1980 as an accountant. He held successively more senior finance positions within the Keppel Group.

Mr Ko's experience in China dates back to 1986 when he took up the position of Port Advisor in Zhuhai. He was subsequently promoted to Controller in Straits Steamship Company Limited (Hong Kong), a position he held until 1989.

In 1989, he was appointed General Manager (Research & Statistics) of Steamship Investment & Development Pte Ltd, a subsidiary of Straits Steamship Land Limited.

He held the position of Manager (Chairman's Office) in Keppel Corporation Limited until 1993, after which he took on the joint responsibilities of General Manager (Property Development) in Keppel Corporation and General Manager (Leisure Division) in Singmarine Industries Limited.

He holds a Bachelor of Commerce (Accounting) from Nanyang University as well as a Diploma in Management Studies.