Hi Guys
A post in a different thread
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Hi VS! Thank you for the very wonderful blog, it is definitely one of the most informative on the web. I am going to intern at one of the shipping brokerage this summer and had been binge reading your blog. I read all your posts within 2 weeks. The amount of information is really useful and it definitely helped me in my interview in securing the internship. I have 3 questions and I would be glad if you can answer them: 1) Are your books still available for purchase? 2) Any tips on converting my internship position to a permanent job as a trainee broker? 3) Is it a good time to enter the industry now? Thank you so much for your blog! Looking forward to more active posts from you :)
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Thanks for the nice email and congratulations on securing the internship. its a good time to enter the industry. I reckon we are past the worst slump in living history and although the recovery will be slow - WE ARE RECOVERING!
to answer your questions
1) Yes the books are available for purchase - just click on the buy now button!
2) All the info you need to convert and kick goals are in those (my) books!!
3) and yes - As discussed earlier it is a good time to enter.
Keep rocking
The Virtual Shipbroker
BTW - If anyone is interested in the VS Chartering and Shipbroking certificate send me an email at virtualshipbroker@yahoo.com
I may have a spot open...
The Virtual Shipbroker
The Ship broker blog, shipbroker and chartering information, ship broker salaries, Shipbroker database, shipbroker jobs, ship broker training and courses - all from a real bulk shipping insider! Copyright 2015
Who is?
- The Virtual Shipbroker
- Hi. I am a shipping company director, transport academic, author, family man and all round nice guy. I have worked as shipbroker, shipowner, freight trader and bulk charterer, in senior positions, with some of the largest and most disrespected (joke) companies in the world. Ask my advice on all things shipping and you will receive my blunt and always honest answer. Hang around to learn more about chartering and ship broker salaries, chartering and ship broker jobs, chartering and shipbroker recruitment agencies, cheap freight, maritime education, chartering and ship broker qualifications, become a ship broker, tips on how to be a successful bulk shipping executive, philosophy, Zen and the art of shipbroking, and much more. Yours The Virtual Shipbroker (recently proclaimed the guru of shipbroking) Copyright © 2009-17 by Virtualshipbroker

Tuesday, March 14, 2017
Sunday, February 7, 2016
Im over here!!
Sunday, October 4, 2015
The most exciting shipbroker news in a very very long time
The realities of life as a shipbroker BUT there is some good news....
Thursday, September 17, 2015
A good question from a seafaring reader
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From Seastoshore
HI VS I am a newly qualified officer of the watch with a British issued COC In the next year or so I plan to do a trip as a junior officer and in my leave learn the commercial side of the business and hopefully do some post fixture work, after this I want to brake into brokage. How employable would I be seen to be .. yes I don't have a economic/business degree from a top university but I do have solid industry experience. Alot of guys who go for trainee broker jobs probably haven't even seen a commercial ship yet alone know that a 38000 dwt Handymax bulker can't actually carry 38000 tonnes of cargo. Regards
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I hear ya Seatoshore...
Im always on about the need for commercial shipping people to know what a ship actually looks like. Early on in my career I was lucky enough to have a management traineeship with a large multinational shipping company that apart from ship brokerage, they owned vessels, had an agency and offshore set up and even owned stevedores and ports.
I will never forget the day that I was asked to jump on a helicopter and land on the hatch of a panamax ship just outside the port limits. Because of congestion the ship could not berth but they needed to evacuate a sick crew member. The weather was hairy but the incident was one of the best things I have done in the 25 years I have been in this caper.
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on a calm day |
Cutting to the chase Seatoshore - your experience is fine and if you carry that combative yet polite 'winning' attitude then I reckon you would be a great asset and very hireable. Check out 'Inside Shipbroking' though for some of the other way 'seaman' can transition into brokerage...
Wishing you luck
VS
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Another happy VS shipbroking and chartering Cert student
A nice message after our final virtual negotiation..
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Thank you VS!
Sent the recap to both VS Broker and VS Charterer.
That is truly sad news (that we are finished) but for what its worth, I would definitely enrol my future trainee shipbroker employees in this course. Hopefully it’s still around.
I wish to thank you for considering me. It has been nothing short of fantastic.
Eddy P
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Look - every time i run this course I do have some hesitation. It is important to me that the course offer great value and it is not until i get feedback that I am ever sure.
What I do know is that after every course, despite its simple premise, the feedback in terms of practical knowledge and value delivered is unanimously good.
When you also consider that a 2 day course covering about 1/10 of what this course delivers - can cost up to USD 5,000 ......then my humble little chartering and shipbroking course remains the benchmark.
Thanks you to Eddy P and look forward to running a new (larger) intake in October...
VS
Monday, August 24, 2015
Who is watching and reading the VS Blog
Haven't done this for a while. Found that readers like to find out who else is reading the VS blog
Numbers are readers (page hits) this month total 12,390
Top 10
United States 2223
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United Kingdom 1437
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Singapore 1323
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Russia 1013
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India 978
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Greece 487
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France 482
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United Arab Emirates 293
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Ukraine 290
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Germany 218
Some usuals not there ( in top 10) this month C'mon Australia, Norway, Japan and Denmark! Drop us a line and say hello from wherever you may be! VS |
Monday, August 17, 2015
The VS Dry Cargo and Shipbroking Certificate
Every week I get an email or two asking about the next VS Dry Cargo and Shipbroking Certificate.
Due to time constraints (im a busy person you know) I have recently been running this program on a one on one - case by case basis..
Having said that I am really enjoying it at the moment and I am considering a larger intake around November this year.
So if you are keen to be part of this course check out the 'study' tab above, read the premise and drop me a line....
Spaces are always limited....
VS
Due to time constraints (im a busy person you know) I have recently been running this program on a one on one - case by case basis..
Having said that I am really enjoying it at the moment and I am considering a larger intake around November this year.
So if you are keen to be part of this course check out the 'study' tab above, read the premise and drop me a line....
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Spaces are always limited....
VS
A question from a reader..
DamayantiAugust 13, 2015 at 7:16 AM
DamayantiAugust 13, 2015 at 7:16 AM
Prompt merely means 'now onwards'..........
In a negotiation you would ask for clarification (real laycan) from the charterer...
Cheers
VS
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"Laycan: Prompt"? Would prompt in this case mean that the ship HAS to be available at the start of the laytime or within reasonable period?