Travel and Shipbroking

This message gets it own posting for two reasons. Firstly its a good question and secondly the poster has said something nice about my blog. That will do it everytime...

Qte

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Why Shipbroking":

Hi Virtual Shipbroker

I am not going to sound very original based on the comments that I read but anyway I'd like to congratulate you on your blog which is very well written and even a bit captivating. I can't really remember how i ended up here but I've stayed much longer that I usually do on such websites. I don't know if it's the casual but insightful way you write or the feeling i had that all my questions were answered before I can clearly formulate them in my mind, but there is something which makes this site difficult to leave.

However there was one question that I asked myself and that I havn't seen yet (well I havn t read aaaaaalll the posts on the other hand but well..): I for one am lucky enough on the money front, my job pays well and is even kind of exciting to some extent, so among the good points that you listed about shipbroking the one that struck me was travel (ranked 2nd in the list!). Because that's what i m missing in my job! but as a shipbroker why, when and where do you travel?? for how long? is it kind of adventurous, do you go to original places, or is it just the usual business trip?

This is what would make a difference with most jobs in my humble opinion.

Thanks in advance and keep on the good work :)

Clement

Unqte
 
Well Clement first let me say thank you for your perceptive comments about said blog. Truth is I try and make it captivating by including interesting topics. And yes I have only recently realised that I write in an informal yet informative style that people seem to enjoy. So I’m running with it...

Travel is an important part of a chartering executives’ job. I reckon I travelled around 8 weeks per year when first starting out. I’m a little jaded these days and it takes something special to get me moving. Something special is a close client, a million dollar deal (commission wise) or an exotic destination.

Mostly be expected to travel regularly for conferences (shipping and commodity), to geographical regions to market your services, occasionally to a ship loading or discharging and if you are lucky to when a "new ship" is being launched. If you are really fortunate they may even name the ship after your good self (or your better half). All ships are feminine remember (referred to as she). I think the names of quite a few mistresses also adorn the hulls of certain huge bulk ships.

Once you create a name for yourself expect to be invited to 'social events' that will require business class travel. Anyone for skiing in Canada, fishing in New Zealand, Horse racing in the Middle East, getting smashed in Vegas, Rugby in Hong Kong, Formula One in Mongolia....I mean Monaco?

Where ever there is a world event expect to find shipping people hogging some of the collective limelight.

Who I wonder is at the world cup....

Cheers
VS