Royal Caribbean Group announced that it has named Palle Laursen as executive vice president, head of marine, effective May 1, 2023. Laursen will report to Royal Caribbean Group's President and CEO Jason Liberty and will join the company's Executive Committee. With this newly created position, the company will centralize its global and brand marine operations functions under Laursen.

He will oversee all marine operations for the company's entire fleet, as well as strategic oversight of marine operations of its TUI Cruises and Hapag-Lloyd Cruises, of which it's a 50% joint-venture owner. Most recently, Laursen served as chief fleet and technical officer at A.P. Moller – Maersk and was responsible for its entire fleet of more than 750 container vessels, 400 chartered vessels and 350 owned vessels as well as chartering, technical management, crew management, safety and compliance, newbuilding activities and engineering services. He also led Maersk's effort to have the entire fleet operating fully carbon neutral by 2040.  Having joined the Maersk Group in early 1998, Laursen has spent his entire professional career at the Danish shipping company.

Previously, he was vice president and head of Ship Management and also held several other roles with increasing responsibilities, including head of technical services, ship engineering and technical vessel operations. Laursen graduated from the Svendborg International Maritime Academy in Denmark as a marine engineer and has since completed several executive and leadership development programs.