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.
You never know...if i tweet I will tell this blog so that yu can all decide if you wanna follow or not.
cheers
VS
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
A good question - Females as shipbrokers!
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 blog, keep it up! :)
Cheers,
nat.C
unqte
A good question Natc. I have a view on this but what I would like is for some of my female readers (those in the industry) to maybe share their views regarding woman in the shipbroking workplace. Men out there are also welcome to have a say. Reminder you can do so anonomously if you wish because its an interesting topic and the VS blog is the only platform that will enable these interesting topics to be discussed.
Come on - I dare you!
VS
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 blog, keep it up! :)
Cheers,
nat.C
A good question Natc. I have a view on this but what I would like is for some of my female readers (those in the industry) to maybe share their views regarding woman in the shipbroking workplace. Men out there are also welcome to have a say. Reminder you can do so anonomously if you wish because its an interesting topic and the VS blog is the only platform that will enable these interesting topics to be discussed.
Come on - I dare you!
VS
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Force Majeur
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 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
Monday, January 10, 2011
Awol
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
All those expecting replies from me hang in there for a few more days
Yours
VS
Saturday, January 8, 2011
VS Dry Cargo Chartering and Shipbroking Certificate
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
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
Friday, January 7, 2011
The changing face of cummunication
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 email and no mobile phones.
Now 20 years ago aint that far away. Ryan Giggs was playing first team football at Manachester United and Shaq was midway thru his college basketball career. Both are still playing.
Communication was mostly done via Telex machine, although fax machines were becoming more popular. Telex machines had been around for ever and were used during the great wars to communicate battle conditions (there is every chance I made that last bit up but you get the vibe!)
So sending a telex was a big deal. very expensive. There is no way you could send your clients ships or cargoes to hundreds of brokers or principals around the globe. You would go broke the cost was so high. So back then you needed to be much more selective and think about who you sent messages too and what you said in those messages. Those of us around at those times sometime look back with nostalgia especially in this age where communication is almost too easy and cheap making what is written somehow less important (more disposable).
Telex machines played a crucial role in the office hierarchy. The trainee would be the telex person. Every time the telex machine made a noise the trainee would be up of his/ her seat to check the latest message. if it was a new ship or a new order it would be the trainees job to yell out the details to the more experienced brokers who would then jump on the phones and make those important first calls.
The offices I worked in had colour coded telex machines. Top copy had a red trim, Second copy, blue, third brown, fourth yellow, fifth white. The boss always got RED and down it went so that it was the trainee left with the plainest of all copies. Back then - all this type of stuff was important - to some anyway.
I just wanted to fix.
Communication costs back then as a percentage of overall company costs were probably around the 30 percent mark - falling slightly behind salaries. The cost of communication is now much lower by comparison.
I think Ill take of my Tweed Jacket, have a cigar and listen to my favourite Vinyl Pearl Jam record on my 1980's vintage phonograph.
Happy fixing
VS
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 email and no mobile phones.
Now 20 years ago aint that far away. Ryan Giggs was playing first team football at Manachester United and Shaq was midway thru his college basketball career. Both are still playing.
Communication was mostly done via Telex machine, although fax machines were becoming more popular. Telex machines had been around for ever and were used during the great wars to communicate battle conditions (there is every chance I made that last bit up but you get the vibe!)
So sending a telex was a big deal. very expensive. There is no way you could send your clients ships or cargoes to hundreds of brokers or principals around the globe. You would go broke the cost was so high. So back then you needed to be much more selective and think about who you sent messages too and what you said in those messages. Those of us around at those times sometime look back with nostalgia especially in this age where communication is almost too easy and cheap making what is written somehow less important (more disposable).
Telex machines played a crucial role in the office hierarchy. The trainee would be the telex person. Every time the telex machine made a noise the trainee would be up of his/ her seat to check the latest message. if it was a new ship or a new order it would be the trainees job to yell out the details to the more experienced brokers who would then jump on the phones and make those important first calls.
 |
| Telex machines |
The offices I worked in had colour coded telex machines. Top copy had a red trim, Second copy, blue, third brown, fourth yellow, fifth white. The boss always got RED and down it went so that it was the trainee left with the plainest of all copies. Back then - all this type of stuff was important - to some anyway.
I just wanted to fix.
Communication costs back then as a percentage of overall company costs were probably around the 30 percent mark - falling slightly behind salaries. The cost of communication is now much lower by comparison.
I think Ill take of my Tweed Jacket, have a cigar and listen to my favourite Vinyl Pearl Jam record on my 1980's vintage phonograph.
Happy fixing
VS
Monday, January 3, 2011
Welcome to 2011
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 forward to, in the year that will be 2011.
The sun will still rise, ships will still sail and the world will not end (atleast until 2012).
In what could be humankinds penultimate year (if you believe the conspiracy theorists) lets make this one a year to remember. Celebrate your wins with more gusto then usual. Ring the bell until your ears bleed. Dont sweat on the small stuff - leave the gossip at the front door.
And while youre at it
Climb that mountain,
Dive that reef,
Run that marathon
Shag that (sorry i mean love) that person like you have never loved them before
Because people - we are SHIPBROKERS!
Say it - "I AM A SHIPBROKER AND I AM PROUD"!
Stand on your desk and scream it at the top of your lungs - "I AM A SHIPBROKER".
Do it - Do it NOW!
Ok - anyone feel better?
HAPPY 2011
VS
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 forward to, in the year that will be 2011.
The sun will still rise, ships will still sail and the world will not end (atleast until 2012).
In what could be humankinds penultimate year (if you believe the conspiracy theorists) lets make this one a year to remember. Celebrate your wins with more gusto then usual. Ring the bell until your ears bleed. Dont sweat on the small stuff - leave the gossip at the front door.
And while youre at it
Climb that mountain,
Dive that reef,
Run that marathon
Shag that (sorry i mean love) that person like you have never loved them before
Because people - we are SHIPBROKERS!
Say it - "I AM A SHIPBROKER AND I AM PROUD"!
Stand on your desk and scream it at the top of your lungs - "I AM A SHIPBROKER".
Do it - Do it NOW!
Ok - anyone feel better?
 |
| Can courstesy of the Virtual Shipbroker |
HAPPY 2011
VS
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