Dutchman Cas König has been appointed as the new CEO of North Sea Port. He succeeds Daan Schalck and will take up the post in June.
König has extensive experience in international management positions. Most recently, he was CEO of Groningen Seaports for seven years.
According to North Sea Port, König has a particular affinity for environmental issues. His challenge for the coming years is to combine sustainability with the port’s economy. The appointment as CEO is for six years and marks the “start of a new chapter” for the port community. Founded in 2018, North Sea Port is one of the most important ports in Europe and ranks ninth overall.
Over 100,000 direct and indirect jobs are linked to the port. In terms of value added, the port is number 3 in Europe. The 550 companies in the port area create wealth in the region and contribute to the economic and sustainable development of the Netherlands, Flanders, Belgium and Europe. The border port stretches 60 km from Vlissingen on the Dutch North Sea coast via Terneuzen to Ghent in Belgium, 32 km inland.
Focus on growth and sustainability of the North Sea Port
In addition to the port’s key role in greening the industry and strengthening the logistics chain in Europe, König will also focus on the challenges in the areas of innovation, infrastructure development and international competition. In addition, cooperation with companies and governments remains crucial for the port’s continued growth – regionally, nationally and internationally.
“I have long admired how the merger between the Port of Ghent and Zeeland Seaports, consisting of Vlissingen and Terneuzen, came about and has continued to develop,” said the new CEO. “As CEO of Groningen Seaports, I got to know the Dutch-Flemish port up close. It is a great port with very diverse businesses – a thriving and exciting port with enormous opportunities, but also great challenges. It’s a great honor to be able to take this next step in my career.”
“Cas König shares the shareholders’ vision to maintain our focus on sustainability and economic development as a leading European port and to do so within a manageable financial framework,” says Pieter van Geel, Chairman of the Supervisory Board. “Our international ambitions are crucial in this. North Sea Port wants to further strengthen its position in Europe, which is a major challenge in a changing geopolitical world,” adds Deputy Chairman Sofie Bracke.
König will officially take up his position as CEO on June 2, 2025. According to North Sea Port, he will work closely with the Supervisory Board, the Executive Board and all stakeholders to achieve the port’s long-term goals. In doing so, he will be guided by a new strategic plan, which will be available by the end of the year.
