Management Team

Niels-Erik Lund

President & CEO

Niels-Erik Lund is the largest shareholder in the ISP companies and serves as President and chief Executive Officer. His education is within finance, accounting and business administration and his more than forty-year career has been entirely in the passengership industry.

From 1969 to 1982, Niels-Erik worked with DFDS in Copenhagen, Denmark, one of the largest passengership companies in Europe. In his last years in DFDS he served as Director Finance with the overall responsibility for accounting and reporting for the fifty-two DFDS companies worldwide.

In 1983 he was asked by DFDS to head the unsuccessful Scandianvian World Cruises in Miami, a 100% owned DFDS subsidiary with more than 1200 employees. He was President and CEO from 1983 to 1987 during which time he did a financial turn-around of the company. In 1987 Niels-Erik resigned when he and his family returned to Denmark.

In 1988 Niels-Erik formed the ISP Group with American investors and became part owner, President and Chief Executive Office of the company. In the 1990's the investors were bought out and the ISP Group became 100% owned by Management.

Niels-Erik spends half his time in Miami, Florida and the other half in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Kenneth Engstrom

Executive Vice President

Kenneth Engstrom serves as the Executive Vice President of the company, and has more than forty years experience within the operation of passengerships.

Ken's career began onboard vessels where he was a Chief Engineer with Swedish American Line and thereafter the Project Manager in a US shipyard. In 1980 he became Vice President for the engineering company, Golten marine, a company specializing in mechanical repairs onboard ocean-going vessels, and in 1983, Vice President Operations for commodore Cruise Lines, which operated two large cruise vessels on seven day itineraries out of Florida. In 1986 he joined SeaEscape Cruises Limited as Vice President Operations, where he was responsible for the operation of four one-day vessels operating out of Florida ports. After SeaEscape he became Managing Director of CLC Marine, a British interior outfitting/conversion specialist until 1988 when he joined ISP as Senior Vice President Operations.

Having been in top management positions onboard vessels, in a shipyard, a repair conversion company and cruise companies, Ken's career has provided him with the very unusual experience of having been in all aspects of technical ship management and administration, working extremely well with figures, preparing budgets, forecasts and follow-up reports.

Dietmar Wertanzl

Executive Vice President of Hotel and Commercial Operations

Mr. Wertanzl joined the ISP Management Team as EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT HOTEL AND COMMERCIAL OPERATIONS in April and he comes to ISP with many years of experience in the cruise hotel industry starting with Royal Viking Line in 1983; Crystal Cruises, Chandris Group, Celebrity Cruises, Royal Caribbean Cruises, Tauck World Discover, and up until most recently Cruise West, Seattle, the former owners/operators of the SEA SPIRIT.

With a total of more than 10 years with Crystal Cruises (the last eight as Senior VP Hotel Operations) and a total of nine years with Chandris/Celebrity (the last four as Senior VP Fleet Operations), Dietmar has a vast experience of operating large upscale hotel products. This combined with his knowledge of small, expedition vessels from his involvement with M/V XPEDITION, Tauck World Discover and Cruise West, provides him with all the knowledge and experience which will be very beneficial for ISP.

Dietmar will be responsible for the overall hotel operations for all vessels, and will be involved in expanding this area of the ISP Group (ISPL), by trying to obtain more hotel and catering contracts with the existing as well as new clients.

Captain Sten Bergqvist

Vice President Special Projects

Sten Bergqvist was born in Gothenburg, Sweden where his career at sea started during his last two years of high school, when he served as deck boy on a small cargo vessel, which was followed by several other seagoing positions.

While taking his master's class in the Merchant Navy Academy, Sten joined an engineering program and received both a Masters Diploma and an Engineering Degree. He sailed as Chief Officer and Master onboard several types of vessels in various trades, before joining Commodore Cruise Line in 1981 as Staff Captain, then Master.

Sten came shoreside in 1989 as Director of Personnel for Commodore until 1992 when he joined ISP.

Captain Jorg Walczak

Vice President Special Projects

Captain Jorg Walczak, originally from Germany, is an experienced master mariner with comprehensive management background in passenger, ferry and cargo vessel operation.

He is a graduate of the Bremen Seefahrts Adademie and has a Master Mariner Certificate Unlimited and Graduate Engineer for sea transport.

Jorg has been Master and Staff Captain of cargo ships, passenger ferries and cruise vessels, and joined Commodore as Director of Port Operations in 1983. He has very extensive knowledge of maritime and government regulations, working with port agents and authorities, new building projects, drydockings, budget preparation, etc.

Heinz Steinhauser

Vice President Special Projects

Heinz has been with ISP since 1991 and has been involved in all of ISP's conversions and refurbishing projects, as well as most of the deliveries/redeliveries over the past 18 years.

He has been responsible for overseeing the technical operation of ISP-managed vessels, the preparation of annual budgets, and the preparation of drydock specifications for most of the vessels.

Originally from Legace, Germany, Heinz started his career as Chief Engineer in 1975 with Esbergen Line after which he earned his Steam and Engine Degree from the College at Flensburg, Germany, subsequently sailing as Chief and First Engineer with various lines.

Emmanouil (Manolis) Vlahos

Senior Vice President Technical Operations

Manolis joined ISP in 2000 after having worked with Celebrity Cruises and Premier Cruise Lines. He has vast experience in the capacity of Chief Engineer onboard several vessels operating in the United States and Greece, and came shoreside in 1993, gaining several years experience and knowledge as a Port Engineer responsible for all major areas in the technical management of vessels.

Manolis, originally from Greece, earned his degree in Marine Engineering Science from the Marine Akademy of Aspropyrgos, and his Chief Engineer's license from Kesen.

Alan Freedman

Vice President Quality Assurance

Captain Alan Freedman is a retired Captain from the US Coast Guard Reserve, with over 25 years experience in the maritime industry, specializing in all facets of passengership operations, including safety and the development and implementation of environmental management systems and procedures.

Employed by ISP since December 2002, when he was hired from Celebrity Cruise Line, Alan had previously worked with several major cruise lines and port facilities in the United States, and also held several field and administrative positions in the US Coast Guard.

Alan holds a Bachelor of Science Degree from the US Coast Guard Academy in New London, Connecticut, USA.

Jan-Otto Bergjlung

Vice President Technical Operations

Jan-Otto, one of ISP's most recent Vice President, joined the company in September 2000 as Senior Technical Manager.

After completing his education in business and vessel mechanics Jan-Otto graduated from the Maritime College, Sweden as a Marine Chief Engineer in 1968. He subsequently sailed as Chief Engineer and worked as a Technical Superintendent in various firms in Sweden and the United States between 1961 and 2000, before joining ISP. At ISP he is responsible for overseeing the technical operation of ISP-managed vessels, the preparation of annual budgets, and preparing and attending to the drydocking of various vessels.

Originally from Sweden, Jan-Otto lives in Dania, Florida.

Nick Inglis

Senior Vice President Marine Operations

Captain Nick Inglis joined the shoreside Management team in February 2008 having been Captain onboard several ISP-managed vessels since 1995.

Nick graduated from the College of Maritime Studies, United Kingdom in 1980 with his Master Mariner's License and started his ocean-going career on cargo ships, containers and reefers, and spent the last 22 years on passenger ferries and cruise and expedition ships. Being one of the senior ocean-going Captains in the ISP-fleet, Nick was often responsible for taking command of new vessels brought under the Company's management to ensure that all ISP's systems and procedures were properly implemented; evaluating new officers and crew, and establishing a good working relationship between the vessels and the shoreside office. Born in London, England, Nick is a full-time Florida resident.

Gary Kerr

Vice President Marine Operations

Captain Gary Kerr comes to ISP with over 33 years experience in the Merchant Navy from the level of Officer Cadet to Master and shoreside superintendent in a wide range of roles.

With a Masters Certificate Unlimited Class 1 education from Glasgow College of Nautical Studies, Glasgow, Scotland, Gary sailed for many years before coming shoreside and working with several different companies, participating in the acquisition, purchase and refurbishment of multiple vessels; having the responsibility for the everyday operation to running vessels; interacting with various US authorities; shipboard safety, security and crew management.

Gary joined ISP in 2010 after over ten years with Palm Beach Casino Line. Born in Edinburgh, Scotland, he lives in Lake Worth, Florida.