P&O Nedlloyd merger: now the work begins. (P and O Nedlloyd Container Line)(includes related article on CEO Tim Harris)

Senior executives appointed, committees begin meeting. But Harris says there's no rush to choose between alliances.

Tim Harris, newly appointed chief executive officer of what will become P&O Nedlloyd Container Line, aims to complete the merger process by the end of the year.

The merger plan was announced on Sept. 9, but Harris already has set up several committees of senior executives from P&O Containers and Nedlloyd to meet the tight deadline.

In an interview, Harris described the merger as "significant" -- not least because it is a cross-border merger between U.K.-based P&O and Netherlands-based Nedlloyd, the largest carriers based in their countries.

Cross-border mergers, he said, "are not easy."

Mergers aren't new to Harris, though. In 1988, he brought together two major cruise shipping companies: Princess Cruises and Sitmar Cruises. This merger also had an international character because the crews of Princess were mainly British and those of Sitmar were Italian, he said.

Appointments. Harris has made senior management appointments for the future P&O Nedlloyd Container Line business.

P&O's Mike Seymour was named head of the Europe/Asia trade division, which will be the largest within P&O Nedlloyd. P&O's …