Peter van Leeuwen saw the need for professional ship management services in the Western Hemisphere and established in 1978 a Shipmanagement & Consulting Company in Curacao, N.A. The company expanded to New York in 1986 and moved to West Palm Beach, Florida in 1989 where it currently operates as MMS Shipmanagement Inc.

He holds a Dutch Master Mariner License - Ocean-going and sailed from 1960 until 1971 in various positions as a Deck Officer with Royal Interocean Lines, a Dutch shipping company operating mainly in the Far East, Africa and South America. Prior the establishment of MMS, he served for 4 years as Deputy Head of the Netherlands Antilles Shipping Inspectorate (DoT) in Curacao. He has more than 30 years of management experience in various aspects of the shipping industry, including involvement in ship finance.

Peter van Leeuwen is the recipient of a MBA degree with an endorsement in International Business.

Peter van Leeuwen currently serves as President of MMS Shipmanagement Inc. and is also a major shareholder in the company.