Katharina Stanzel has served as Managing Director of INTERTANKO since 2012. The fifth MD in the Association’s long history, she brings an environmental background to the position. She holds postgraduate qualifications in coastal management and business administration from universities in Germany, the UK and Australia.
A marine biologist by training, she entered the world of shipping in the 1990s. Focussing on marine pollution from ships, she spent ten years as technical advisor for the International Tanker Owners Pollution Federation before joining the IOPC Funds, a UN body tasked with administering several crucial compensation conventions for oil pollution from tankers.

She is a Member of the American Bureau of Shipping and sits on the Marine and European Advisory Committees for Lloyd’s Register and RINA respectively. She also served as non-executive director on the Board of SeaAlarm, a Belgian foundation that brings together NGOs, government agencies and industry to enhance oiled wildlife response.

She was honoured to be named WISTA International Personality of the Year 2012 by the Women in Shipping Trade Association.