Top 10 Ship Chartering Companies

Ship Chartering Companies work as intermediaries by connecting shipowners with vessels for hire with charterers who want to transport cargo or passengers.

For this, different types of charter agreements can be formed like voyage charters for a specific journey, time charters for a defined period of time and bareboat charters in which the charterer overtakes complete control of the vessel.

Ship Chartering is a vital part of the maritime industry, allowing for cost-effective and efficient transport of goods across oceans.

Read along to learn about the Top 10 Ship Chartering Companies.

1. MB Shipbrokers Bulk Chartering Inc.

This dry cargo ship broker was earlier a part of the Maersk Broker worldwide group of Companies. This ship chartering company has an experience of almost a century in the maritime industry.

The company has over 250 employees working at its offices worldwide, including Copenhagen, Athens, Beijing, Hong Kong, Tokyo, Seoul, London, Dubai, Seattle, Singapore, Taipei, Shanghai, and Hanoi.

Whether someone is looking to charter a bulk carrier or employ a ship in the Spot Market, this company takes them through the process, step by step, leading to voyage charters, trip time charters, period charter parties and also industrial contracts.

The company has a team of period brokers that have the latest information about the market and can guide clients regarding the chartering of bulk carriers for a period of 1 year up to 20 years.

It works closely with industrial end users, operators, shipping companies and shipowners to offer the best services to its clients. It also boasts of direct connection with most of the top bulk shipping players across the world, allowing it to offer global coverage.

2. Clarksons

The company offers skilled shipping brokers and analysts which help clients to make smart decisions. Clarksons has up-to-date data and information on vessel chartering supply, market movements, bunker costs and much more across all major markets, from raw materials to finished goods.

This ship chartering company’s vessel chartering services include deep-sea tankers, dry cargo ships, gas carriers, container ships, car carriers etc.

The company offers consultancy services across all sectors and offshore and ensures to have in-depth knowledge of each ship type. It delivers global service while maintaining personal relations at the local level, offering expertise and guidance at every step, from shuttle tanker time charters and bareboat charters to spot fixtures and COA contracts.

The company’s shipping broker specialists are supported by the data from their colleagues in Clarksons Research and leading technology tools in the industry. The strategic information from their research is used to best meet the requirements of their clients.

3. Braemar

For more than four decades, this ship chartering company has grown its business and is now one of the world’s leading advisors in ship chartering, shipbroking and risk management.

Its dedicated team of around 400 employees has a proven record of delivering expert solutions in chartering, finance, research, analytics, operations and management.

It operates 24/7 from its 18 global offices in the U.K, Athens, Beijing, Dubai, Geneva, Hamburg, Houston, London, Madrid, Melbourne, Mumbai, Palm Beach, Perth, Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore.

The company’s services encompass both established and emerging markets, which is made possible due to its heavy investment in technology and databases that allow it to offer customised, cost-saving solutions in the best interests of clients.

4. M&P International Freights

This company offers a range of vessel chartering services, which are tailored to meet the needs of its clients. Its team of chartering experts help provide bespoke logistics solutions that ensure cargo is managed properly and reaches safely from its point of origin to its final destination.

The company oversees all the aspects of the chartering process, enabling clients to focus on their core business activities.

It offers project charters, ideal for one-off projects needing dedicated shipments, voyage charters and time charters.

The company is based in Singapore and charters for various cargo including dangerous goods, dry bulk, construction material, special vehicles, industrial equipment, renewable energy components etc.

5. Star Asia Shipbroking Pte Ltd

Established in 2008 in Singapore, this company is one of the leading broking houses in the industry with 50 years of experience. It specialises in providing broking services to dry bulk, tanker, container, RORO ferries, offshore and recycling markets.

Star Asia has a vast network of clients around the world which allows it to reach out to both ship owners and charterers. It has a track record of dry and wet fixtures and it assures top quality services to its clients.

It is also active in tug fixtures for several towing jobs whether it is for moving different types of equipment or recycling ships. Its relations with several key offshore players enable it to fix tugs for its clients at competitive rates.

6. Access World

This end-to-end Logistics Service Provider has been operational since 1933. It began as a family business and became an international organisation with a network of ports and warehouses active in over 25 countries.

Apart from warehouse and handling, the company offers other services like vessel chartering. Its chartering team is based in Singapore and provides global and regional chartering solutions whether for dry bulk, heavy-lift or project cargo requirements.

Access World acts as an intermediary and bridges the gap between ship owners, operators and cargo owners. It takes over the responsibility of managing and overseeing ocean transport on behalf of its clients, provisioning optimised and efficient freight solutions.

7. Aryacorp

The Arya Family launched Aryacorp in 1978, entering the maritime industry by providing dry cargo shipbroking and agency services. The company has grown steadily and is one of the most reputed and trusted internationally.

It caters to the global bulk shipping community as a chartering specialist, fostering beneficial relations between shipowners and charterers.

The company’s expertise lies in single cargo freight broking, time charters to long contracts and period or bareboat charters across all major trade routes. Though it focuses on the Indian and Pacific Oceans, the company is expanding to serve the North and South Atlantic as well as the Mediterranean Markets.

8. CISS Group

This company provides an array of brokerage services to a diverse clientele of operators, ship owners, charterers, shippers and receivers trading in the tramp market.

Its chartering division works with ship owners to charter vessels for the customer’s shipments, including both part and full cargo. It checks, and plans all the technical, legal and commercial aspects and hence reduces any risks regarding the transport of the client’s consignments, by offering transport which is fully compliant with international standards.

It is also engaged in shipping and operates handysize ships, coasters, and oil and chemical tankers.

The company also provides surveys like on/off hire surveys, loss prevention inspections, supercargo services, pollution surveys etc.

9. Venture Ship Management Europe

Backed by the Wah Kwong Maritime Group, this company offers ship management services, newbuilding services, maritime consultancy services, sale and purchase and chartering services.

It focuses on environmental responsibility and strives to reduce the fleet’s footprint for a sustainable maritime future.

The company specialises in chartering services for in-house and third-party owned ships with its expertise in ships including Kamsarmaxes, Panamaxes, Supramaxes and Ultramaxes.

It has a close relationship with players in eastern and western markets, enabling it to provide the best chartering opportunities.

10. Mariner Shipping

It is a shipping agency and marine services provider, forming a part of the Hili Company Group. It operates as a non-vessel operating common carrier and offers customs brokerage, freight forwarding, conventional cargo transport in the Mediterranean and 3rd party logistics.

The company’s maritime roots go back to 1923 when it was a business in trading commodities. Throughout the 1950s and 1970s, Carmelo Caruana, the founder developed the business.​

His nephews and other members of the Hili family joined the company and started to diversify the portfolio and pursue opportunities overseas.

They offer ship chartering arrangements, including full and part charter for heavy lift, RORO, coasters, semi-submersibles, tugs and barges.

The company ensures that it acts as a charter broker, providing the highest service to its clients.

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