tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-13015907906060202012-01-30T16:40:04.185-08:00The 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!The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.comBlogger3181100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-67132322409740900612012-01-30T16:40:00.000-08:002012-01-30T16:40:04.197-08:00

An interesting article i just read... Grab a stiff drink and follow if you will Goes something like this a) European company charters a tanker ship from a South Korean Shipowner b) Ship gets attacked by pirates causing much despair, delays and costs including a multimiliion dollar ransom c) Principals disagree as to the opportioning of the costs and enter arbitration d) South Korean

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-61521723370185332052012-01-30T13:28:00.000-08:002012-01-30T13:39:28.456-08:00

A good question from a reader  QuoteBikafellaJan 30, 2012 09:53 AMYou seem to be a very knowledgeable person - so please can you tell me what the expression "cargo is King" means - does it mean that if you are a shipowner you are a pauper ?It would seem to be very strange if a shipowner was regarded as someone who was not wealthy person. i think if market is lacking tonnage then the owner

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-54428310651758881492012-01-18T17:59:00.000-08:002012-01-18T18:00:30.957-08:00

We welcome in 2012 with an unfolding shipping tragedy in Italy... Man....... could this Italiano Capitan be is some serious trouble. Italian Law imposes a maximum of 14 years for Captains who abandon their ships and he must also face manslaughter charges relating to the mounting death toll... Its very surreal seeing this grand looking primo cruise ship half submerged to the backdrop of the calm

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-58550959890014078642011-12-30T14:45:00.000-08:002011-12-30T14:45:31.349-08:00

qte So Samoa is skipping friday. If I were a charterer, and was trading the vsl around Samoa, how would this effect the payments i make to the owner? Do I not have to pay for friday?! Well technically that one friday doesn't exist. http://edition.cnn.com/2011/12/27/world/samoa-dateline/index.html unqte haha - my guess is that a "day" is still 24 hours....so although friday disappears the 24

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-69270051539128846052011-12-19T14:05:00.000-08:002011-12-19T19:37:06.397-08:00

On the 12 th day of christmas my therapist said to me 12 Phones are ringing11 Ships are sailing 10 Banks are calling 9 Pounds im heavier8 Trading screens7 Days a week6 Figure bonus5 ..........Failed on sub...........sz,....4 calling (girls)3 Hours sleep2 bottles of gin and a boss (or wife, or husband) who is never happeeeeeeeeeee. HAPPY FESTIVE SEASON TO ALL (CHRISTIANS AND NON CHRISTIANS ALIKE)

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-41882493719159495982011-12-05T21:23:00.000-08:002011-12-07T12:38:28.679-08:00

In this prolonged recessed shipping market we are starting to see some trends emerge. Banks are getting increasingly nervous - News that more and more shipping banks (those that lend to the sector) are losing patience and are now refusing extra cash injections, rejecting new investment pitches, being inflexible on repayment plans and are in fact calling in some of the moneys owing to them from

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-64386616639901873862011-11-22T16:56:00.000-08:002011-12-20T03:33:54.639-08:00

There are a number of shipowners / shipoperators around with less than healthy financial positions. Some of them are quite well known, the banks and creditors are onto them and they are treading a fine line hoping to stay afloat until market conditions change. So the question is "should a charterer fix with a shipowner who is in some financial trouble". Well theat depends. First thing is this

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-36885055104729025202011-11-21T17:54:00.000-08:002011-11-21T18:01:50.019-08:00

I have recently been quite interested in the idea of Personality Types and how your ingrained preferences can dictate just about every outcome in your life. The most famous personality test is called the Myers Briggs test and it groups you into one of 14 distinct personality types and using this information it can predict / give advice about everything from most suitable jobs, suited partners

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-51480632711790220752011-11-07T15:33:00.000-08:002011-11-07T15:33:26.151-08:00

The current crop of students in the VS dry cargo chartering and shipbroking certificate are coming towards the end of their 4 month course and from all accounts the course has once again lived upto expectations (and more). A current student - "This course I will really miss and has given me huge confidence in my day to day activities". Now just on that matter. My intention was not to run

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-23342374847003081942011-10-20T16:29:00.000-07:002011-10-20T16:32:43.813-07:00

As readers of the blog will know I run a consultancy business for anyone wanting highly confidential, expertise when fixing deals. And i Don't mean my real work (what I do for a living) I mean a Virtual Shipbroker Consultancy Business. Virtual Shipbroker Consultancy click here The great news is that a handful of really smart people have taken me up on the consultancy offer and are kicking huge

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-90650598535066286292011-10-18T22:23:00.000-07:002011-10-18T22:23:50.893-07:00

In Washington , DC , at a Metro Station, on a cold January morning in 2007, this man with a violin played six Bach pieces for about 45 minutes. During that time, approximately 2,000 people went through the station, most of them on their way to work. After about 3 minutes, a middle-aged man noticed that there was a musician playing. He slowed his pace and stopped for a few seconds, and

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-47258797419745931342011-10-13T02:23:00.001-07:002011-10-13T02:23:54.105-07:00

Sorry to any/all of you that received an email from me with spam...its a virus and i picked it up quickly so hopefully no more to come... vs

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-8089671832678200982011-10-04T17:10:00.001-07:002011-10-04T17:10:51.116-07:00

Quite a few of you, lncluding myself, are having issues posting on the blog. I think blogger are having some technical issues which hopefully be fixed soon. cheers vs

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-45514897975112968712011-10-02T23:49:00.000-07:002011-10-02T23:49:50.844-07:00

One of my students has asked the following qte VS What do you think abt spoofing? Ofc i do not spoof. I often catch out other brokers spoofing or that indicate without authority. My close principals and i realize very quiclkly when this happens. What do you do in this case, do you communicate to the other principle?Thank you in advance qte Anyone care to offer a definition of spoofing

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-17043894475409158682011-09-18T23:25:00.000-07:002011-09-18T23:27:06.067-07:00

The great news is that none of the current students have decided to drop out after the two week grace period and by all accounts are enjoying the program alot. So who are the current students? People always want more info.....to satisfy curiosity...which is cool. Can't tell you specifics but can say this 8 in number 7 males 1 female (first one wahooooo) 1 of the 8 has elected to do the course

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-22489093583596368772011-09-18T19:33:00.000-07:002011-09-19T02:36:37.511-07:00

Once again thanks for the great question and thank you to the many contributors who pretty much answered the question perfectly. Note that im not a lawyer and without knowing the exact circumstances and charterparty clauses. I do however offer the general opinion that -  a shipowner cannot cancel a contract under these circumstances but fortulately is protected by way of demurage / detention

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-27310591194603246542011-09-14T14:57:00.000-07:002011-09-14T14:57:21.751-07:00

From a reader qte Can shipowner cancel the contract or witraw from it if the delay is caused by the charterer (for example: the goods intended for loading are not ready)? The delay prolonged the time beyond stipulated laycan, and the shipowner has next contracted laycan for another charterer so he should cancel this C/P to acheve the next one.If this is the case, does the shipowner has a

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-85958132691750259832011-09-12T23:54:00.000-07:002011-09-12T23:54:58.052-07:00

One of my current crop of students has asked a good question. What constitutes a CO2 fitted ship? Not all ships are fitted with a CO2 fire fighting systems in their cargo holds. The systems are quite expensive and those ships that are fitted are able to load combustible cargoes that other ships cannot. Cotton seeds are one such cargo. Sometime these ships command a premium in the market.. The

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-75127683794699577532011-09-01T17:47:00.000-07:002011-09-01T17:55:29.234-07:00

Why is it that the smaller ship market segment is less volatile then larger sizes? Good Question  (see previous post) and some excellent answers.  Thanks for the contributions and you are all spot on. And btw Gambalistic will go into my linguistic repertoire from now on! Love it... ++ Here is my take The markets for larger ships have been more volatile than smaller ships for following reasons

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-42075728705652339582011-08-31T18:15:00.000-07:002011-08-31T18:15:18.233-07:00

qte   Hi VS, Read your blog on the regular, and have a question I've been wanting your opinion on. Why are smaller ships (e.g. Handysize) more resistant to both upside and downside risk than their larger cousins? A simple viewing of charter rates of dry bulk vessels shows capesize are extremely variable where as the smaller you get the steadier the graph. Would love your

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-55632582905353144962011-08-25T03:23:00.000-07:002011-08-25T03:24:48.239-07:00

Have to say that I have had amazing response to the upcoming course. Reminds me how global the industry is! Also testament to the course are the applicants from some of the worlds largest shipbroking and chartering firms. It seems this humble little "hands on" course is gaining growing acceptance from shipping more established players. Personally I am not surprised. In a stagnant / slightly

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-74005813922490045632011-08-07T19:59:00.000-07:002011-08-09T14:34:20.186-07:00

(Costs added below) I have had alot of interest recently enquiring about the next intake for the above mentioned course. Below is typical of the emails I receive This one from a trainee with a shipping company in Continental Europe qte Unfortunately, this is not what i have imagined, they are so busy so they can not spare time to teach me and again, mostly, i have to learn everything by my

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-4742546290470100822011-07-31T23:25:00.000-07:002011-07-31T23:39:21.836-07:00

Pasted from a previous thread example-of-difficult-client Quote The Virtual Shipbroker said... I am often heard to mutter the word GOOSE when talking about principals and competing brokers but in a slightly different context to what Suraz alludes too above (but thats a whole different story). But yes Suraz - at the end of the day the shipowner may be the one writing the checks but it is the

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-76976213247779347032011-07-27T14:34:00.000-07:002011-07-27T15:32:31.241-07:00

Received and email from a friend of the blog quote VS / ........... Tks so much for your help, i've got a job as a trainee shipbroker and have gone through the cp admin and post fixture now I'm officially a shipbroker and have since fixed my first 4 fixtures. Just wanted to let you know how much you've helped me and I wouldn't be so successful without your help back then.When my boss actually

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-17954760918421711942011-07-27T02:47:00.000-07:002011-07-27T02:47:32.405-07:00

Our thoughts are with the Nation of Norway. A nation close to my heart in many ways. A proud and fair people...........they deserves better. +++ On a lesser note RIP USD! (for the time being anyway) My books are 20 percent cheaper now then they were when they were written all due to your devaluation against most of the worlds economies. So it was time to cut my losses. I have taken the

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-82924544520292924972011-07-25T21:36:00.000-07:002011-07-26T04:31:10.473-07:00

(if anyone has an example of a difficult client send me the deatils and I'll post it....(change the names / places etc so you dont get shot!) Now mine I'll give you a condensed version Principal is a shipowner and we have a small contract. But alas I really represent the charterer because that is where the power is (eventhough the shipowner is paying my commission). The shipowners is doing

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-58322577943894626282011-07-18T21:48:00.000-07:002011-07-18T21:49:06.841-07:00

Shipbrokers are in the business of providing a service and with that comes the usual ups and downs of dealing with people with varying needs and personalities. I want to relay a common situation that I have become increasingly good at dealing with. THE DIFFICULT CLIENT! Maybe if you had good ships I could find you a cargo! Once upon a time, if a client seemed unreasonable for whatever

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-14223902146669861552011-06-07T00:43:00.000-07:002011-06-07T02:34:58.100-07:00

Ok - in the spirit of the Tradewinds article here is a tip for shipbrokers and shipowners when dealing with SOME charterers. Not all charterers mind you. This post does not refer to experienced charterers but rather the 'less than experienced' kind. Many importers and exporters have no idea when it comes to chartering. They may bluff a little but truth is they just don't get it - this despite

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-20070792143550919522011-05-29T23:38:00.000-07:002011-05-29T23:38:52.201-07:00

And it deserved more! Great post Crowsnest said... Dear VS, stumbled across this blog whilst googling 'address commission' and thought 'wow, now why didnt i think of doing that!'. I intend to be a regular visitor and poster! regarding the question of timecharter versus voyage, there is no doubt that the timecharter is potentially 'leaving money on the table' - which is what permits the role

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-18526475440276625742011-05-27T01:16:00.000-07:002011-05-27T01:20:42.749-07:00

I have reached the pinnacle of my aspirations. First I can count Alain de Botton as a reader of the blog (tick) and NOW I can finally say that I have had an article dedicated to ME in none other than "Tradewinds" - the worlds number one shipping newspaper. Here is the article from last weeks (20/05/2011) paper (notice the last line) Quote Blog reveals Achilles heel of shipowners Hardcopy

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-34289926581136869952011-04-21T17:03:00.000-07:002011-04-21T17:03:45.259-07:00

You know how after working so hard on a project for a long period of time there comes a moment when you say 'I need a break'. It kind of creeps up on you like the flu. It reminds me of my time studying full time at University. Come the end of year, exams out of the way - you don't want to look at a book, pen or computer for 2 months. We need these breaks! I have been blown away by the continued

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-85807840872536740302011-03-08T01:55:00.000-08:002011-03-08T01:55:14.433-08:00

As a shipbroker I have spoken to kings, princes, presidents and prophets. I know what its like to get tongue tied and stuff up my lines. It can happen to the best of us. It can also happen to the worst - click here Mike Tyson - Speech Therapist

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-67638439888959878962011-02-23T15:00:00.000-08:002011-02-23T15:00:26.923-08:00

I have bumped a posting made in another thread - good reading quote pilarin said... Comments from a woman shipbroker: It’s true, most men in this field tend to look at women as an employee who is not much more than a highly skilled secretary which of course is not true. Men have their way of dealing with things and women have theirs. This is a job that requires many skills which are most

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-69771754893185363282011-02-13T17:16:00.000-08:002011-02-13T17:16:41.583-08:00

Hello Everyone - Sorry for my absence. Been a crazy time But Im back. Whats been amazing is that even though I havent posted anything for 2 weeks I have had a recond number of book sales, tuition requests and Resume requests. Unfortunatelyy due to my busy schedule I havent been able to reply with my usual pace. I am slowly catching up. So the million dollar question is 'Hows the Market" The

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-3421929953688400802011-01-29T00:51:00.000-08:002011-01-29T01:26:31.164-08:00

To our friends in North Africa and the Middle East. Stay safe and we wish you well with whatever transpires in you home states. I have many readers from the region. I wonder if this event would have been possible (this combined consciousness across a few countries) had it not been for the Internet and the ability for the countries citizens to access information that is leading to these uprisings

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-65353623221134235362011-01-27T01:17:00.000-08:002011-01-27T01:18:55.919-08:00

I will use this thread (and put it in favourites) for any open / random questions people want answered that aren't necessarily linked to my posts. If no one has any questions then thats cool too - I can go back to sleep!

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com24tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-59532655920290744662011-01-24T23:37:00.000-08:002011-01-24T23:37:53.662-08:00

Bump from another thread Good question qte Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Readership growing": I have a qn VS, hope to hear your view. Why does voyage cargo always pay better than a time charter trip? Is it due to better control over the costs? unqte There is a huge assumption here that shipowners prefer voyage charters over time charterers because they ALWAYS pay better.

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-37473525552775756772011-01-24T00:06:00.000-08:002011-01-24T01:28:43.659-08:00

Ok people, due to popular demand I am rolling out the 3rd edition of the overwhelmingly successful (yet humble) VS dry cargo chartering shipbroking certificate. This post is to ask for any requests for enrollment. Details Start date: 07th February 2011Request for enrollment date: Friday 28th January (must be in by then)I will let you know if you have been successful within a few days Cost: I

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-17638516495871891492011-01-21T15:17:00.000-08:002011-01-21T15:17:25.918-08:00

My current crop of students are completing there certificate by taking part in their final virtual negotiations. The process reminds me that many juniors over think things. Remember that a brokers central role is to 'pass on' information from one party to another. Pass it on in a timely and accurate manner - full stop. Leave the interpretation and salesmanship once you have done a few deals and

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-17633767737051513052011-01-20T16:37:00.000-08:002011-01-21T00:06:13.602-08:00

Over the last 3 days this blog has broken a few readership records with over 600 individual hits on each day. Still humble by google standards but great for a brokers blog. Incase yu were wondering - the top ten for last 7 days United Kingdom 484 United States 437 Singapore 408 Greece 272 India 153 Australia 124 Canada 81 Denmark 72 Spain 71 Netherlands 53 Thanks for reading! VS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-69767642486969698572011-01-20T05:26:00.000-08:002011-01-20T05:27:07.202-08:00

It has been mentioned by someone to me that there may be a persepction that i delete blog comments from others that I dont like. Its true - I am able to moderate (delete) posts that I dont like. Luckily for me I have deleted a grand total of 4 comments in 2 years of operation. Yes a whole 4! Reasons 1. if someone tries to sell something in the comment ie there is a link to a product. Yes

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-4343217797088982472011-01-20T00:17:00.000-08:002011-01-20T00:17:17.873-08:00

Im not convinced but alas I have set up a twitter account. I havent done a tweet yet (do you really want to know when im sitting on the toilet reading tradewinds?) and yet some of you have tracked me down and asked to follow my tweets....which appreciated. My wife says I have nothing useful to say and my kids dont seem to understand my basic instructions so im not sure I am the tweetable type.

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-52323131630112573472011-01-19T23:11:00.000-08:002011-01-19T23:11:51.087-08:00

NatC writes Anonymous said... Hi VS, I am wondering in the line of shipbroking, whether there is any discrimination against females? You see, I'm interested in this line, but I've heard that companies often preferred males due to the need for shipbrokers to engage in "entertainment".. Is this true? And if it is, may I know what sort of entertainment is in store usually? BTW, u have a great

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-44232093760706715122011-01-18T22:37:00.000-08:002011-01-18T22:37:16.057-08:00

All sorted! Will be back online within 24 hours. TRY 2 WEEKS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-7247071125916578722011-01-16T22:39:00.000-08:002011-01-16T22:39:44.373-08:00

Hi all The reason for my absence is that i am caught up in this Australian flood disaster. Force majeur issues abound and I have been travelling around trying to keep people sane. Back soon I promise. I realise i owe many of you replies to some important questions and it annoys me that I cant reply. Sorry! Yours The virtual shipobroker

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-78112393047416132472011-01-10T19:00:00.001-08:002011-01-10T19:00:05.986-08:00

Sorry everyone - I am awol for the next few days - a short notice thing. All those expecting replies from me hang in there for a few more days Yours VS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-45271804067129754722011-01-08T00:50:00.000-08:002011-01-08T00:51:01.786-08:00

I will be announcing a new intake (February start) shortly. This just in from a current student who has 2 years experience in the industry. Qte Even thou I work as shipbroker I learn A LOT in every single task. You were right; this course is absolute perfect for me! Unqte For more details check the link by clicking HERE Cheers VS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-43018277378688281582011-01-07T02:08:00.000-08:002011-01-07T02:30:22.600-08:00

As discussed previously, shipping has a whole language unto itself. The Genesis of this language, apart from maritime terms, was the need to abbreviate everything in order to cut down on communication costs. Here is an interesting titbit for newbies (and by that I mean 10 years or less in the industry) When I started 20 years ago not only was there no facebook, google or WWW - there was no

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-28702608645151765372011-01-03T19:37:00.000-08:002011-01-03T19:39:25.969-08:00

With the power vested in me (as the sage of shipbroking, the lama of liberia, the ayatolla of passing gibraltar) I now pronounce 2011 The year of the shipbroker. Under seige for sometime from cranky shipowners, cantankerous charterers, a falling US dollar and a plunging baltic dry index - its time to take stock and be thankful for all the good we (collectively) as shipbrokers, can look

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-6284507577651489712010-12-21T22:19:00.000-08:002010-12-22T00:28:52.965-08:00

Taking the opportunity to wish everyone a happy festive season. I wont say Merry Christmas because we have people of all faiths who read this blog. The lead up to xmas is hectic. No one wants an open ship or open cargo in the period between xmas day and the new year. And if they do we pity the poor trainee, or infact the older warhorse, who has drawn the short straw and must man the phones and

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-17280643693110245502010-12-14T14:56:00.000-08:002010-12-14T15:01:18.575-08:00

Time management is an important part of any shipbrokers life. So anytime used not trying to 'close deals' can be a moment wasted. Here's a cool way I like to think about the negotiation process - and thus manage my time better. You can use it too Lets say you have a close client who is a charterer and this charterer uses 5 shipbrokers. When you receive a new charter order you have 1. A 20

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-52186607260150729742010-12-09T14:39:00.000-08:002010-12-09T14:45:22.110-08:00

A magician was once employed by a the old Armada bulk to entertain the crew during long sea passages. It was paid for with the money recieved from the 1,500 CVE the headowner would negotiate in any time charter deal. Interestingly for the magician, the captain just happened to own a parrot (fun ship to be crew) which always insisted on being part of the acts put on by the magician. He would

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-32898793297638838872010-12-07T02:20:00.000-08:002010-12-07T02:29:24.842-08:00

A golden rule for negotiations - especially if English is not your first language. If as a broker you are unsure regarding the meaning of a certain sentence, word or term - dont try and interpret it yourself. Go back to your principal and ask them for clarification. The other thing is this - as a broker you may not understand the meaning of everything, but there is every chance that the person

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-45252601068942561332010-12-05T15:45:00.000-08:002010-12-05T16:38:59.131-08:00

BUMP suraz said... parcel tanker trade survives on 2.5%. lets talk about address commissions as well! have seen 5% charterers adcom plus 2.5 brokers thats a whopping 7.5% ... well stupid in a way bcz the owner would have allowed for the 5% in his numbers...are adcoms just a mindset?? November 30, 2010 7:20 AM ++ Jean Paul said... I agree with Suraz whereas the Addcom issue is

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-89369049189413761692010-12-04T13:56:00.000-08:002010-12-04T13:56:46.986-08:00

United Kingdom 446 United States 327 Singapore 217 India 182 Greece 163 Australia 80 Netherlands 68 Russia 62 Malaysia 48 Germany 45

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-78203595654609086082010-12-01T17:36:00.000-08:002010-12-01T17:38:21.617-08:00

Thought it may be of interest to others Anonymous said... Say, I am buyer and have chartered a vessel. Will the term SHEX-sundays, holidays excepted, be to my advantage in saving the laytime? If these days are excepted, then it should mean that I can load the cargo during these days and avoid the usage of laytime against me. Is this correct? Thanks December 1, 2010 4:04 PM ++ The

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-89251374997574172542010-12-01T14:58:00.000-08:002010-12-01T18:17:00.066-08:00

The word SUBJECTS in shipping speak is a shortened way of saying Subject to "charterers approval" within 24 hours Subject to "Stem in order" within 2 days Subject to "my dog not eating my homework".. ++ You can have 'subjects' in any kind of negotiation. When I bought a house recently the agreement was 'subject to pest inspection' - withing 3 days. Another popular one is 'subject to finance'

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-75698292397754610662010-11-29T02:17:00.000-08:002010-11-29T02:25:11.079-08:00

As we know - shipping has lots of jargon. Take these two sentences "Thanks main terms recap, we are now fixed subject charts reconfirmation 24 hours. Please send executed proforma cp for review" Now - to me this makes perfect sense because I am fluent in 'Shipping'. But the truth is to most people - even those with shipping knowledge like a seafarer, naval officer, maritime business student

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-78152699613611291392010-11-25T01:39:00.000-08:002010-11-25T01:48:50.724-08:00

Shipping has an amazing history. Some of Europes great families have been involved in shipping for many generations. I found out recently that one of my direct ancestors was a ships captain in the Dutch East India Company way back in the 1600's. Found through ancestry.com and verified through church records. Exciting discovery VS (15th generation shipping folk)

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-78559139690310641812010-11-25T00:57:00.000-08:002010-11-25T01:01:23.945-08:00

This post is in response to a fairly regular question asked by readers of the blog. It goes something like this - "as an aspiring shipbroker I would like your advice as to which area of shipbroking has the best growth prospects. What type of shipbroker offers the best chance to make millions of dollars etc etc' This is an understandable question. There are many types of shipbrokers. Check the

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-53762615081467084522010-11-23T13:20:00.000-08:002010-11-23T13:20:31.833-08:00

And a good one too On the controversial topic of shipbroker commissions Qte Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Shipbroker commissions.": Hello VS! I consider myself an experienced tanker broker (15 yrs experience). We run a small brokers shop and conclude business with various charterers and many ship owners mainly in Europe. We normally charge 2,50% brok. commission on vessels

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-40325002130395227312010-11-16T22:09:00.000-08:002010-11-16T22:12:18.881-08:00

quote Anonymous said... Hello VS- I had a phone discussion with a shipbroker today, and he was telling me about the company and what not. He informed me they have an operations division where they take a "position". What does they exactly mean in the shipping world? I know in Wall Street for instance, that means a company puts of their own money on stock investment. unquote Anyone answer

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-77049289672598277252010-11-15T13:16:00.001-08:002010-11-15T13:16:51.967-08:00

http://www.newssummary.info/ Many people visit my site from this site but you need a log in Bit of a mystery - if anyone can shed some light on this site please let me know Rgds VS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-31829613715559951102010-11-15T00:56:00.000-08:002010-11-15T00:59:07.719-08:00

CREDIBILITY... One reader of the blog recently told me (in a private email) that he didnt realise that the market will punish you badly for incompetence. It is true. Many clients, be they shipowners or charterers will give a broker one chance to prove themselves. So when courting a new client understand that those first few weeks, months - those first few deals, will determine your longevity

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-23317422124037706692010-11-13T16:22:00.000-08:002010-11-13T16:22:13.819-08:00

Where is everyone? So I havent shaved in a while!

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-24801780654062650082010-11-11T02:21:00.000-08:002010-11-11T02:21:37.051-08:00

Look - if i can get to 100 followers by xmas I will buy all my followers a round of beer!  Do it!

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-59476485023198551632010-11-07T19:06:00.000-08:002010-11-07T19:08:18.257-08:00

In the world of time charter shipping a charterer and a shipowner need to come to a mutual agreement with regards to where (position) the ship will be delivered. There are two main spots a ship can be delivered 1. DOP (at the last port where the ship comes open under previous employment) or 2. APS (at the port of load) Pilot boat next to Mothership Lets look at an example. A ship is

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-88822237635346324222010-11-04T01:05:00.000-07:002010-11-04T01:10:47.958-07:00

Quick note - every few weeks I receive a request along the following lines. Dear VS - Love your blog and books keep up the great work. Print your books! About 6 months ago I bought two of your books (great reads) and unfortunately my computer has gone and crashed and taken all the files with it. I did not print out hard copies. Is their any chance that from the goodness of your heart you can

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-69214305423494984792010-11-03T15:56:00.000-07:002010-11-03T15:56:47.555-07:00

From a reader of the blog and books qte I finally made it to Shipbroker! Since sending out dozens of e-mails with my cover letter and CV attached, I got an interview with a firm near ......... last week and today have just got their call that I am accepted and to start as of Nov 15 with internship of several month period first. All my thanks should go to your e-books and blog which I've

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-64211114235906447072010-11-01T16:46:00.000-07:002010-11-01T16:52:39.292-07:00

One of my current students has asked the question...what is "rated tonnage"? Fairly simple really - Rated tonnage is any market ship that is being circulated with the owners rate idea attached. Everyday thousands of ships are circulated through the markets giving the salient points. Name Size Brief description Where she is open Very few however come 'Rated'. Here is an example of a ship

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-24394191350204101132010-11-01T05:01:00.000-07:002010-11-02T01:47:42.654-07:00

One of my more controversial posts was shipowner secrets. I can understand how some may see this type of 'creative' endeavor as somewhat unsavory especially in the gentlemans world of international shipping. Even speaking of such things is enough to get me crossed of any number of peoples christmas guest lists (and I have been struck of a few). I think people are too quick to judge because of

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-52492877216545338352010-10-19T16:32:00.000-07:002010-10-25T17:08:14.547-07:00

Qte Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Alain De Botton and the Virtual Shipbroker": I have been looking for a site like yours for the past 15 years ""ex fisherman now (bored finacial adviser)"", and when I came across your site I thought it was a scam but since buying your materials and reading of your experience in the industry it was like hearing the Beatles for the first time:

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-60502427478262652702010-10-19T16:18:00.000-07:002010-10-25T17:09:49.285-07:00

If anyone can recommend a good free website for marine (port) distance tables then please drop me a line. A number of the free ones have gone awol. So need to add a new link or tow to my Voyage Estimator Website. (One still works) If I cant find new links I will build my own - lol Rgds VS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-78297805013828130012010-10-15T23:28:00.000-07:002010-10-15T23:28:13.769-07:00

Hi All. Over the last year and a half many people have asked me if I could start a shipping forum so that people can share views on various topics within the shipping industry. You will have noticed that I recently ran an online poll asking for feedback on this very question. The replies were interesting. As I thought - there are many people out there eager to connect and have meaningful

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-78806282872484596932010-10-05T04:13:00.000-07:002010-10-05T04:17:55.632-07:00

qte Thanks v much for the guidance and your tips. I have indeed landed a job in .................(withheld). Its such a relief after a long trek and knocking many doors. I know the journey doesn't end here. rather its the start of a new journey now and what can i say? I am charged up and ready to roll. Its been a fantastic reassurance to have someone as unbiased and insightful and dependable

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-68678986841884050922010-10-03T15:12:00.000-07:002010-10-03T15:13:58.428-07:00

Most Shipping people are crappy marketers. Marketing is a foreign concept and if a 'marketing activity' does actually take place it is usually by fluke rather than through any considered marketing plan. Marketing to most Bulk Shipping Firms means 3 things 1. Long Lunch 2. Golf Day 3. Business cards Believe it or not - these things make up yet a small aspect of the marketing mix and come under

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-69636637673767551732010-10-02T04:11:00.000-07:002010-10-02T04:11:57.531-07:00

Ok - time for some Straight Talk I am constantly asked if the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Exams are worthwhile. My answer is overwhelmingly YES. For any Maritime Professional it is a well respected qualification to have. I will re-iterate however that most shipbrokers and chartering execs do not have these qualifications. Many do, but most do not. This is an important point because

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-16010587748107156182010-09-27T15:39:00.000-07:002010-09-27T21:50:32.560-07:00

Qte Mr. Agent has left a new comment on your post "Strange but True": Hey VS, Thanks for your blog - its like crack for me...i can't wait for my daily fix. I'm a shipping agent on the USWC. Part of my job is providing port costs to our principals. These requests come in waves - One week everyone and their mom will be asking about costs/restrictions for logs ex Kodiak, whereas the next week

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-56334244083066824562010-09-26T22:43:00.000-07:002010-09-27T04:31:02.992-07:00

Reading a biography about Richard Branson last week. Think he is an interesting dude. Bit strange but essentially someone who has made his own way following his own rules. Incredibly - for a person worth a few billion bucks did you know that Richard Branson did not know (until a few short years ago) the difference between Gross Profit and Net Profit. Think about it....owns 300 companies, worth

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-33616606653983719372010-09-25T14:35:00.000-07:002010-09-25T14:35:44.817-07:00

Ok - So the cargo of coal (or any other dry bulk) is on the water (in transit) and it appears the paperwork (original bills of lading) will not arrive to the discharge port in time. A shipowner will not discharge the cargo unless the bills of lading are there. If unavailable the only other way to get the cargo discharged is if charterers agree to sign a Letter of Indemnity. The shipowners sends

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-31320836441044998712010-09-20T00:45:00.000-07:002010-09-20T02:15:59.617-07:00

NOT LEARNING FAST ENOUGH? WANT TO LEARN FROM THE BEST? On its third intake and now ready to go! THE VS DRY CARGO CHARTERING AND SHIPBROKING CERTIFICATE Testimonials ========= Going through the VS Dry Cargo Chartering and Shipbroking Certificate not only provided me with hard to find procedural knowledge on the chartering routines but, specially, the mindset --and the jargon and the '

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-7316660700517117562010-09-14T23:02:00.000-07:002010-09-14T23:07:24.286-07:00

Qte BIMCO/ASBA issue guidance on "STBC" c/p term Wednesday, 15 September 2010 BIMCO, working together with ASBA, has developed an interpretation of the term “self trimming” as used, but not defined, in Clause 12(a) of the NORGRAIN ’89 charter party. The term “self trimming bulk carrier” or “STBC” is frequently misused in the dry cargo sector as a general description of a ship’s

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-87740070528513318932010-09-12T21:28:00.000-07:002010-09-12T22:01:26.549-07:00

Least of all I. Thanks to the person who reminded me that the picture of the ship on my "VS Dry Cargo voyage estimation pack" was infact a tanker vessel. Not great - and I blame the person who designed the cover for me (a non shipping person). The mistake didnt actually register with me for a few weeks (I probably thought it was a gearless BC) after which time I promised myself I would get

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-29524015213519714572010-09-09T19:11:00.000-07:002010-09-09T19:15:30.128-07:00

Quote Chinese international trade soars September 10, 2010 China's exports rose 34.4 per cent in August from a year earlier and imports were up 35.2 per cent, the General Administration of Customs said today. That left China with a trade surplus of $20 billion, compared with a surplus of $28.7 billion in July. The median forecast of economists polled by Reuters was for exports to rise 35 per

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-15362294615898578442010-09-09T17:10:00.000-07:002010-09-09T23:54:07.787-07:00

I am consulting for a trading company. Part of my job is to help negotiate but also a huge aspect is to educate the chartering person so that one day he can fly alone. This process can take years because their is alot to learn. I am still learning and I still have a mentor to help me with the occassional thing that needs clarification (yes even VS continues to learn). Last week we were

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-18524872328793810532010-08-31T23:37:00.000-07:002010-09-01T22:28:38.716-07:00

Interesting stuff that Blogger allows me to see and check. They now give me stats and here are the results telling me people from which countries read my blog the most. The numbers refer to individual page hits per month from each country The top 10 are United Kingdom 2,712 United States 1,794 Singapore 1,567 India 856 Greece 594 Denmark 488 Germany 473 Australia 303 Canada 299 South

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-1667815975050184362010-08-31T21:56:00.000-07:002010-08-31T21:57:13.824-07:00

Sales were a little slow to start with but happy to say that many of you have now bought the VS voyage estimation software and tutorial. Sales have really picked up in the last few weeks. Getting a good cross section of buyers too - from shipping companies, individual brokers and chartering officers, all the way through to trainees and students. Some of you may have noticed that the pack is

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-49143673156069707562010-08-24T23:31:00.000-07:002010-08-24T23:31:22.390-07:00

Yep market remains firm. You have probably noticed I am taking a short break from my consistent postings on this blog. In the the 18 months the blog as been in existence I think I have done fairly well averainge more than 10 posts per month. I am extremely busy at the moment and in truth I just feel like taking a breather from my regular contributions. Fear not! I aint going anyway. Its a

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-74795974604023487802010-08-12T16:33:00.000-07:002010-08-12T16:33:21.493-07:00

click here to check the BDI which back around the 2,500 mark. Nice comeback! I have recently landed a new account and thats been keeping me busy. Lots of travel over the last 2 weeks. Sorry to those waiting for a reply from me. Reverting Soonest VS

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-64292932637432439602010-07-31T19:06:00.000-07:002010-07-31T19:06:48.153-07:00

In the last 17 months I have made many posts and it occurs to me that newcomers may have trouble finding important info. So here are the links to some of the more read posts...(other than the ones already listed in the right hand column) 2010 most read posts 1. Bulk Shipping is about playing the averages 2. Voyage Estimation - additional info 3. Kick in the pants to the shipping industry 4.

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-8349360759022259912010-07-29T21:53:00.000-07:002010-07-29T21:54:07.973-07:00

Well sort of...more of a whimper in a high C rarther than a roar. Its not a bad recovery in all honesty with the BDI touching the 2,000 point range. Check out my voyage estimator blog to see the graph (and when you are there why not purchase the VS voyage estimation pack - its awesome..trust me im a broker)

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-23879584119605907222010-07-26T21:52:00.000-07:002010-07-26T21:54:12.611-07:00

I should extrapolate a little further on my last posting. You see the term 'self trimming bulk carrier' is one of those terms that makes lawyers very rich but in reality does very little for the profession. Infact there is no such vessel, recognised by class or any other official means, as a self trimming bulk carrier. This term has crept into the chartering venacular and really should only be

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-49565383206064828872010-07-23T23:28:00.000-07:002010-07-23T23:50:28.604-07:00

You would think that a ship is a ship is a ship...but no a ship is not always the ship that you think that she may be. For a ship ‘should be’ what it is – but it isn’t – well not always anyway. It should be what you can see, what you can feel and what the ship owner tell you it is. But here is the scoop. In a negotiation a ship is sometimes not the ship you thought she was. Yes it’s true. A

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-60737766086897118932010-07-22T22:46:00.000-07:002010-07-22T22:47:45.361-07:00

From Tradewinds Quote BDI blues ‘temporary’ Michael Bodouroglou has dismissed a recent plunge in the dry-cargo market as a “temporary dip”. Paragon Shipping boss Bodouroglou says the losing streak which saw spot rates crash by over 60% has not been matched in the period or FFA markets which have fallen by only 15% and 3% respectively. Michael Bodouroglou. Speaking on a Dry Bulk Webinar

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-75094821404950004562010-07-22T22:41:00.000-07:002010-07-22T22:41:01.589-07:00

click here

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-57826230345761762012010-07-19T04:48:00.000-07:002010-07-19T17:11:04.875-07:00

One of my students (VS dry cargo shipbroking cert) asked the following which I thought would make for good discussion qte Good to see the BDI is up. Wanted to ask - To what level does sentiment play on freight rates? Like stocks, can a general consensus push or drag freight rates? i guess for ships there is a more tangable/physical element. but if all ows/ops expect mkt to rise and hold out for

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-2131687380791323722010-07-18T20:43:00.000-07:002010-07-18T20:47:25.852-07:00

Excellent post made by a reader quote Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "The markets have tanked!": I believe reduced congestion, particularly in Australia, earlier this month has also played a part. "Newcastle's coal congestion in June had up to 61 ships waiting in queue. The average waiting time for Newcastle's coal port, however, has improved. During the week of July 12, there

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-33948647771127467782010-07-13T15:30:00.000-07:002010-07-13T15:30:16.897-07:00

I have had numerous requests from people asking for more information about the 'actual markets'. With that in mind, i'm working on a new project that will help readers better understand the different market segements. It will also help readers better identify the major palyers in each market segement. There may also be some crystal ball gazing looking at how these markets may play out over the

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-41056218539271740032010-07-08T19:43:00.000-07:002010-07-08T19:43:43.816-07:00

Yes the markets have dropped for 30 consecutive days. Check out the bdi index Here The extended supply of new ships is starting to make a difference, China's steel industry is in go slow and maintenenace mode and the overall mood is a tad gloomy. The good news is that we are still nowhere near the lows from 2 years ago and in truth the market now has renewed optimism that any drop no longer

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1301590790606020.post-11288992668720799252010-07-08T19:29:00.000-07:002010-10-03T14:56:18.308-07:00

Over the last 12 months I have enjoyed helping out many of you with getting your resumes and cover letters right. Apart from having these two things in perfect working order it is also essential you have a plan of attack. No point in sending out emails in cyberspace hoping and praying for a reply. Anyway...with all the requests I have (coupled with all my other commitments) I need to be a

The Virtual Shipbrokerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13194680475223774516noreply@blogger.com11