One of the best-known names in container shipping is stepping back from his frontline role.

Jeremy Nixon, who has been CEO of Japanese liner Ocean Network Express (ONE) since it was founded in 2018, will move aside at the start of July, with Till Ole Barrelet, formerly head of Emirates Shipping Line (ESL), taking over. Nixon will stay on as a senior advisor.

ONE, featuring bright magenta branding, was founded eight years ago, amid intense liner consolidation, by Japanese shipping majors Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), Mitsui OSK Lines (MOL) and Kawasaki Kisen Kaisha (K Line).

Nixon, who was with NYK at the time, having had a career that started out with P&O Nedlloyd and then Maersk.

At the time, many questioned whether Nixon could marshal the three distinct corporate cultures, but under his tenure ONE has thrived, helped by container shipping’s greatest ever earnings period.

When ONE debuted its fleet stood at 1.5m teu – today it stands at 2.1m teu, with a further 1.15m teu on order, placing it sixth on Alphaliner’s league of container shipping lines.

“Leading ONE from day one has been the defining chapter of my career,” said Nixon. “Together with an exceptional team, we have built something truly special. I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished – navigating unprecedented challenges, investing in sustainable technology, and building a culture of service excellence.”

Barrelet’s career started out with IBM in 2000, before entering maritime in 2005 with Bernhard Schulte, then moving to CMA CGM. He became CEO at ESL in 2022.

ESL, founded 20 years ago, has appointed Sushil Sriram as Barrelet’s replacement.