Shipping is a special and very demanding Industry which requires a lot of dedication, knowledge and skills in order for someone to build a successful career. Ship Chartering primary deals with the employment of the vessels by following the shipping, commodity and other financial markets, building valuable relationships and drafting appropriate charter party contracts. Therefore, its practitioners should develop various fields of expertise in order to grow and succeed in ship chartering.
3. Types of positions to start
1
Ship broking office - as competitive broker or trainee
Freight forwarding company - as forwarding agent
2
3
4 Shipowner’s office - in chartering, post-fixing or operation departments
Charterer’s or Shipper’s office - chartering or post-fixing departments
4. 1
Ship broking office
Freight forwarding company
2
Working in a ship broking office is a very competitive job and in order for
someone to start his career in this position, he should convince the
prospective employer that broking is the ideal career and is equipped with
the necessary skills to conclude deals effectively. Keep in mind, most ship
broking firms prefer to grow their own brokers from a trainee or intern stage,
guaranteeing high loyalty to the company.
A job related to a freight forwarding company or a Charterer’s office, providing a
closer connection to the cargo side of the spectrum.
5. 3
Shipowner’s office
Charterer’s or Shipper’s office
4
Working from the Owner’s perspective can improve the technical
knowledge of the ships and give a deeper understanding of maritime
economics. Post-fixing and operation departments handle the daily
issues of a charter party and provide experience which will definitely be
required for a chartering position.
Here you can start from the import/ export or the customs
departments and then advance to post-fixing or chartering department.
The role foresees you to be making and maintaining connections with
shipowners.
6. Where to Learn ?
To be the best fit in shipping,
four key characteristics are needed:
- good English, which is the main language of communication,
- perseverance and willingness to keep learning,
- exceptional communication skills,
- the ambition to become the best of the best!
7. 1
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers
Lloyds Maritime Academy
2
Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) courses can be attended
both via distance learning and at one of the ICS branches around the
world end up with annual examinations. By passing the Institute’s
examinations one is becoming a member of ICS and get the
prestigious services of a close club.
Lloyds of London, via their Lloyds Maritime Academy, are
offering both independent courses and complete programs which
can be attended via distance learning.
8. 3 Baltic Exchange, BIMCO and IMO
+ Begin with comparison of all available courses and build your own list of
interests according to your needs and plans.
Baltic Exchange, BIMCO and IMO (International Maritime
Organisation) courses are specialised in chartering (e.g. analysis of
charter party forms, c/p clauses, legal cases etc), which can help you to
enrich professional knowledge on chartering and handle negotiations
more efficiently.
10. Build relationships & stay connected
+ meet new people, establish relationships and make friends
+ attend various events related to shipping, at least once a year
+ use your LinkedIn & Facebook pages to follow ship chartering community
+ don’t forget about your reputation, this is your own personal brand
11. Study the markets
+ follow the market dynamics on a weekly/daily basis, commodity and
financial markets
+
+
look for reliable reports related with your segment of expertise
+
analyse the data and make your own conclusions about the current
market conditions and prospects
watch out for new chartering apps and services, follow new technologies
13. The best chartering manager or broker is the
one who can find the best cargo or ship within
minutes. This is where OpenSea is better than
any professional, as we are giving you suitable
ship or cargo immediately after you place your
open position. So you just have to choose the
best one and start firm negotiations.
22. If you’re considering OpenSea - Sign up for a free
trial at OpenSea.pro and take a look at how you can
benefit from our product.
More information available through our blog:
https://opensea.pro/blog/find-cargo-or-ship
We’re happy to offer you our continuous support.
