Mikael Skov will step down as CEO of product tanker giant Hafnia on September 1, 2026, concluding a transformative 16-year tenure that built the company into a $4 billion integrated platform. He will be succeeded by internal veteran and Head of Asset Management Søren Steenberg Jensen, ensuring strategic continuity as the company targets further digitalization and commercial expansion.
Singapore | June 30, 2026 – Hafnia, one of the world’s largest product tanker owners and operators, announced a major leadership transition today. Mikael Skov, who has guided the company since its inception 16 years ago, will step down as Chief Executive Officer effective September 1, 2026.
The Board of Directors has named internal veteran Søren Steenberg Jensen, currently Executive Vice President and Head of Asset Management, as Hafnia’s next CEO. To preserve institutional continuity, Skov is slated to join Hafnia’s Board of Directors, pending shareholder approval at an upcoming Extraordinary General Meeting (EGM).
The strategic transition comes at a high-water mark for the dual-listed tanker giant. Propelled by volatile, tight product tanker markets and extended ton-mile demand, Hafnia recently posted an exceptionally strong opening quarter for 2026, drawing in a net profit of $179.7 million and boosting its net asset value (NAV) to approximately $4.0 billion.
Leaving a Legacy: The Skov Era (2010–2026)
Mikael Skov’s departure marks the end of a defining chapter in modern product tanker history. Since establishing Hafnia in 2010, Skov spearheaded the platform’s meteoric rise via aggressive consolidation, pool optimization, and massive commercial scaling under the umbrella of the BW Group.
Today, Hafnia sits as an integrated heavyweight in clean-product logistics:
| Metric | Hafnia Operational Footprint (2026) |
| Active Fleet Size | Approximately 200 vessels (LR2, LR1, MR, Handysize) |
| Global Workforce | Over 4,000 employees across shore and sea units |
| Corporate Hubs | Singapore (HQ), Copenhagen, Houston, and Dubai |
| Fleet Net Asset Value | $4.0 Billion ($8.09 per share) |
| Estimated Fleet Value | $4.1 Billion (including joint venture shares) |
“We thank Mikael for his outstanding leadership and commitment to Hafnia over many years,” said Andreas Sohmen-Pao, Chairman of Hafnia. “Under his exemplary watch, Hafnia has developed a leading market position with a strong platform and high-quality fleet.”
Passing the Helm: Who is Søren Steenberg Jensen?
Incoming CEO Søren Steenberg Jensen is a deeply integrated insider well-equipped to inherit the platform. Before steering Hafnia’s steel assets as Head of Asset Management, Jensen honed his commercial instincts during a decade-long stint at Danish competitor TORM, following early operations and chartering roles at A.P. Møller – Maersk.
Crucially, Jensen has been a central architect behind Hafnia’s modern corporate positioning, explicitly championing technical modernization and data infrastructure. In late 2025, Jensen notably highlighted Hafnia’s focus on deploying artificial intelligence (AI) networks to reshape commercial asset management, signaling the direction he intends to take the company.
“I am honored by the Board’s confidence and the opportunity to lead Hafnia,” Jensen commented. “My focus will be on continuing our disciplined approach as we raise the ceiling of what Hafnia can deliver through strong commercial execution, operational excellence, digitalization, and a culture of ongoing improvement.”
Smooth Sailing for the Transition?
Leadership transitions in the capital-intensive shipping sector can occasionally trigger investor jitters, but Hafnia’s handover appears precisely engineered for stability. By elevating Jensen and retaining Skov on the board, the company limits execution risk at a time when the broader macro-tanker market remains highly lucrative yet unpredictable.
Despite an influx of global yard deliveries threatening to ease market capacity later this cycle, Hafnia’s financial buffers are formidable. The company locked in a soaring average Time Charter Equivalent (TCE) rate of $46,600 per day for 73% of its Q2 2026 earning days, positioning the incoming CEO to take over an exceptionally well-capitalized engine room.
About Hafnia Limited
Hafnia is one of the world’s leading tanker owners, transporting oil, petroleum products, and chemicals for major national and international energy companies, chemical producers, and trading entities. Operating a fleet of approximately 200 vessels, the company offers a fully integrated shipping platform that includes technical management, commercial and chartering services, pool management, and a large-scale bunker procurement desk. Headquartered in Singapore, with offices in Copenhagen, Houston, and Dubai, Hafnia employs a global workforce of over 4,000 people onshore and at sea. The company is part of the BW Group, an international maritime heavyweight with over 80 years of experience in energy transportation, floating infrastructure, and environmental technologies.
Source: Hafnia