Mr Hans van der Werf chosen as Secretary General of the CCNR

01.06.2012

Strasbourg, 1 June 2012. On Thursday, 31 May the delegations of the CCNR member States agreed to appoint Mr Hans Van der Werf as Secretary General of the CCNR, starting on 1 September 2012.

Mr Van der Werf, who is Dutch, has been the CCNR’s Deputy Secretary General for the past 18 years. Previously, he was head of the CBRB (Centraal Bureau voor de Rijn- en Binnenvaart) and in charge of the IVR’s general secretariat (International Association for the register of Rhine vessels) in Rotterdam. He is a very well-known figure in inland navigation circles, and his appointment is sure to be received very favourably. Mr Van der Werf has been particularly effective in his functions within the CCNR Secretariat in his follow-up of economic issues. He played an essential role in the setting up of market observation and in the implementation of the CDNI convention.

Mr Van der Werf is also Chairman of the IVR’s Legal Commission and Acting Chairman of the VBW’s Executive Committee. He succeeds Mr Jean-Marie Woehrling, who has held the post for 14 years and will be retiring on 1 September 2012.