Jebsen Family Donation

One of the great shipping families of Norway (and the world) is putting a little back!

The family of Kristian Gerhard Jesbsen in Bergen has set up a charitable fund worth USD 133m Bucks.

Hans Peter jebsens says the fund will focus on Medical and maritime research.

Great Stuff.

Perfect entry level jobs in London

Check out these Entry level chartering positions in London.

I think its smart not to necessarily limit yourself to shipbroking positions. Many ways to skin a cat!

After 2 years move across to chartering!

Shipowner secrets - Flattery will get you everywhere!

I am doing some consultancy for a raw commodity exporter. They / We ran a tender and I managed to to negotiate the shipowners freight rate down by over usd 5.00 during the course of the negotiation (and saved them around usd 200,000). The cargo was from the Black Sea

The company was flabergasted and asked me how did I know that the shipowner would keep reducing their rates - when from the very start of the negotiation they declared that they could do no better than X amount!

The key here is that I was a Shipowner for many years so I know how they think!

Many charterers and brokers fall into the trap of thinking that shipowners have fixed costs and cannot reduce rates. This is not technically true.

Here are a few things you should all know about shipowners

1. They like to be flattered. Tell them that they have been chosen specifically and that charterers have been keen to fix with them for a long time. Massage the ego. Standard accross all industries!

2. Shipowners and shipoperating is extrememly competative. Therefore they are always looking for new business. Promise the world - tell them that this is ongoing biz for the right owner!

3. Find out who they compete with alot and tell them that they are USD 2.00 cheaper! So if Shipowner X is always competing with shipowner Y in many markets then play up to this. By telling them that their mortal competaive enemy is USD 2.00 cheaper then they will surely sharpen their pencils. The other thing is this - shipowners and freight traders find comfort in numbers. If they hear that 3 or 4 other reputable shipowners are also offering on your business at these cheap rates then somehow they can justify this internally.

So play up to that! Its not lying - its poker...

Welcome to advanced negotiating techniques 101.

This post is to give one back for all the unsuspecting charterers out there who have been flumoxed by the super clever shipowners. Sorry shipowners - next time I will let you into a few secrets into what motivates exporters and importers.

Understand your clients and make money!

Yours
VS

Best feedback award!

Jean Paul has left a new comment on your post "Starting a Shipbroking Business and The Shipbroker...":

quote

I just bought 'Shipbroker fasttrack' and 'Starting a shipbroking business'. I must admit I was a bit sceptical paying an 'anonymous' blogger claiming to disclose all these so called 'secrets and inside info... but I was even more surprised about the level of information I got! It is without a doubt and by far the best I've ever read on the subject and believe me I read a few.I started my first shipbroking steps in 1994 supported with a book called Shipbroking and Chartering Practice (Business of Shipping) by Lars Gorton, Rolf Ihre, and Arne Sandevarn, which was (and still is) a very good starting point; but believe me what the Virtual Shipbroker brings you as readymade ready to eat shipbroking practice full of chunky goodness!!

VS thanks for sharing this information. I have printed both books out and they will always within reach in my desk!!

Keep up the good work.

If it aint broke(d), dont fix it
 
JP
 
++
 
There you go - im Speechless and appreciative. I have already showed my wife and mother the testimonial!

It is genuine as are all my testimonials (incase you were wondering)
 
I am glad to get some critical acclaim from someone who has been there and done that!

btw - If liked those two you should read the Voyage Estimation Tutorial (and software) only when you get the chance! I am proud of what I have done there...good for all levels fo chartering execs.

(yes spoken by a true broker)

Thanks again - made my week!
 
Cheers
VS

Lets talk about ships baby!

Let's talk about ships, baby
Let's talk about you and me
Let's talk about all the good things
And the bad things that may be
Let's talk about ships
Let's talk about ships
Let's talk about ships
Let's talk about ships!

(The Original version of Salt n Peppers classic hip hop tune. Interestingly the music company didnt think shipping songs were contemporary enough and changed the word 'ship' for 'sex'.

(I prefer the original version and have it on vinyl)

Anyway - I will start some threads on the different types of bulk carriers out there. The sizes - the markets - the players.

Keep watching!
VS

How to tell market rates for unusual shipping routes?

Thanks.Noted well...Can you please give some guidance on how to understand the market based on BDI & Fixtures reported. Normally fixture reports cover some major fixtures in major routes. How can we get an idea on the present rates in other routes for eg: An inter PG voyage
for a handymax or a PG / WCI trip.

Of course we can run a calculation. Apart from this is there any way?
Sorry if my question looks meaningless.
With Rgds

Varun



March 3, 2010 9:28 PM

The Virtual Shipbroker said...

Hello Varun

The bdi merely gives a general overview of the dry bulk market. but as you know thre are many markets within the bigger market.

The only way to tell the market for a specific route (if that route is not one of the major routes) is to run a voyage calculation. The may occassionally be a reported fixture but this is occassional and the terms are often different.

The best way to keep tabs on the market for unusual routes is to run voyage calculations every week. Thats what i do anyway on my voyage estimation software

Once you have an estimation proforma -  all you then have to do is add the updated Time charter market rate for the ship in question plus add bunker prices. Will take 10 seconds and the market is at your finger tips


Thanks for the qustion
cheers
VS

Breach of copyright

Someone (who will currently remain unnamed) has plagerised half my website and my books to try and sell and shipping sale and purchase manual.

If the manuals are as bad as his methods then I implore readers not to even consider it. I know who he is and he is out of line and charging people 5 times the price of my stuff.. Buy my 'starting a shipbroking business' for a fraction of the price and you get the same information.

I hate opportunistic profiteering. If he wants to build respectibility he should do it using his own experience and words - not mine.

Thanks to the people who sent me emails telling me of the breach.

He will be sued.

Cheers
VS

The BDI - whats going on?

Excellent article in the Wall st Journal regarding some of the big issues facing dry bulk shipping rates going into 2010.

Freight rates are subject to supply and demand - we know that. What many people outside shipping dont realise is that there are a number of unusual factors that are skewing freight rates.

1. Port congestion is still a huge problem. Most shipowners acknowledge that if the world ports worked efficiently the market would be halved. Port congestion takes ships out of the market and thus limits supply.

2. New Ships coming on stream. The subject of the attached article. New ships (all built during the boom) will increase supply and possibly kill the market.

3. Chinese governement stimulus packages. How long can this go on?

Imagine if we had lots of new ships, leess congestion and a chinese recession? Then again lets not.

Cheers
VS