With more than 30 years of experience in the shipping industry, Herman Billung joins Maritime Optima’s Board of Directors, bringing extensive leadership experience from some of the industry’s most prominent companies.
Maritime Optima is a Norwegian-owned technology company developing ShipIntel, a data-driven decision support system for companies involved in shipping. The platform is built on large volumes of structured data, enabling predictive models and helping companies automate manual workflows. The company’s ambition is to deliver a next-generation decision support system that improves efficiency and decision-making across the maritime industry.
High-quality data and the ability to act on it have always been key competitive advantages in the shipping industry. Billung’s appointment comes at a time when digital solutions are becoming increasingly important in enabling faster, more informed decision-making. His deep commercial experience across multiple markets will support Maritime Optima’s mission to transform how decisions are made in shipping.
With more than three decades of experience in the dry bulk shipping segment, Billung has led companies through both high-growth periods and challenging market conditions. His background spans chartering, operations, and executive leadership, giving him a unique perspective on how technology can improve efficiency, transparency, and decision-making across the maritime value chain.
“With my commercial background, I have always looked for ways to optimize scheduling, chartering, and operations through user-friendly solutions. Historically, many systems have been overly complex and developed without sufficient maritime understanding, that is not the case with Maritime Optima. These products are intuitive, even for someone who started with pen and paper. The energy, commitment and hard work shown by the founder is amazing, and I am also impressed by the energy and commitment of the team. Changing this industry is not easy and this team have what it takes to make it, and I am confident in the company’s continued growth,” said Billung.
Billung began his career in 1989 with The Torvald Klaveness Group (TKG), where he worked in operations and chartering before becoming commercially responsible for the Baumarine and Bulkhandling pools. He later served as CEO of Golden Ocean Group (GOGL), growing the company from a small fleet into a major listed dry bulk player while navigating the 2008 financial crisis. In 2016, he partnered with Arne Blystad to establish Songa Bulk, which expanded to 15 vessels before being sold to Star Bulk Carriers, where he continued as part of the management team. Most recently, he served as CEO of 2020 Bulkers and Himalaya Shipping until April 2025.
Billung’s experience in navigating complex commercial environments and building scalable shipping businesses makes him a strong fit as Maritime Optima continues to grow its platform and expand its global footprint.
“We are very pleased to welcome Herman to our Board,” said Kristin Omholt Jensen, Founder and CEO of Maritime Optima. “Herman is one of the most experienced shipping executives in the industry, with a proven track record in chartering and as CEO and President of several leading companies. I have had the pleasure of working together with Herman in Klaveness, and he has been supporting Maritime Optima since our early days as an investor and ambassador, and I am proud to welcome him formally to the Board.”
Billung added “I am excited to join Maritime Optima at a time when digital solutions are becoming increasingly important in shipping. The company has built a strong product offering, and I look forward to contributing to its continued development and growth.”
