Top 10 Ship Management Companies

Ship Management Companies ensure a ship or a fleet of vessels remains safe and seaworthy by offering services including technical management, commercial management and crew management, covering various aspects such as ship repairs, inspections, and compliance with regulations. They also oversee shipping strategies, KPIs, reports, crew training and safety.

Hiring a ship management company is beneficial for shipowners as they might not have the time and capacity to undertake the task. This way, they save time and resources, which can be put into expanding their business and acquiring new clients.

The market for global ship management companies is estimated to reach $3.9 billion by 2031, increasing at a CAGR of 9.2%.

In this article, we will discuss the Top 10 Ship Management Companies.

1. V. Ships

This ship management company is part of the V.Group, which has more than 35 years of experience in managing vessels in the shipping, cruise and energy sectors.

It offers technical ship management services for various vessels, including tankers, bulk carriers, container ships, leisure ships, offshore vessels, and LNG Ships.

It also recruits highly skilled seafarers to ensure the safe and reliable operation of all types of vessels.

The company offers services like new build supervision, inspections, upgrades, maintenance and repairs. It also offers various marine insurance and claims handling solutions for ships and seafarers.

The company is based in 30 countries, has 60 offices, 44,000 seafarers and around 3000 vessels under its management.

2. Bernhard Schulte Shipmanagement

This company has a network of 11 ship management centres, 28 crew service centers and 6 maritime training centres.

It has a fleet of 680 ships, 40,000 crew members and 2000 onshore staff, which provide a range of services for vessels of all types and sizes.

The company offers a holistic range of maritime solutions, tailored per the requirements of each shipowner. The company is a part of the Schulte Group, founded in 1883 and benefits from its parent company’s maritime legacy and experience spanning over 140 years.

It helps clients by maximising vessel safety, reliability and efficiency to achieve higher incomes, ensures vessels’ compliance with regulations and keeps track of performance. It also focuses on sustainability by taking measures to decrease energy consumption and harmful emissions.

It also focuses on transparency and offers readily available information through digital solutions such as Livefleet.

3. Wilhelmsen Ship Management

Wilhelmson has been a major player in the maritime industry for more than 160 years, since it was founded in 1861. It overcame the difficulties of the two world wars, and in 2005, it established the Wilhelmson Maritime Services to widen its foothold in the maritime sector.

Wilhelmson Ship Management is the ship management arm of the Wilhelmson Group. It is one of the biggest third-party ship managers, with a portfolio of over 450 ships and 12,800 seafarers.

Wilhelmson also offers technical and crew management services for vessel segments like LNG, LPG, RORO and PCC/PCTC, FPSO/FSO, Container ships, cruisers, Bulk Carriers, Seismic vessels and Offshore ships.

It manages ships from 8 offices worldwide along a crewing network of 11 manning offices. Its key services include dry-docking services, layup and newbuilding supervision.

4. Anglo-Eastern

This company has more than 740 ships under third-party management. It was created in 2015 after the merger between Anglo-Eastern and Univan.

Since 2020, the company has had its head office in Hong Kong’s Kowloon Bay. Also, it has over 25 locations across the Asia-Pacific, Americas and Europe, including Manila, Hamburg, Glasgow, Odessa, London, Singapore and Mumbai.

It has over 32,000 seafarers from several countries, with the majority from the Philippines, Ukraine, Latvia, China and India.

It also has one of the biggest maritime training centres in India, situated in Mumbai and Delhi and a cadet training academy in Karjat and training centres in Odesa, China and Manila.

5. Thome Group

Thome is a provider of integrated ship management services to the shipping sector and offshore industries. It is based in Singapore and imbibes the Scandinavian shipping tradition with the modern drive of an Asian business enterprise.

From ship management to offshore structure management, vessel inspections, port agency and crew training, Thome offers a complex range of services and products under a single roof.

Thome Group has grown a lot and is now recognised as one of the major international ship managers with 1000 ships under technical management, serviced by 650 shore staff and 11,000 crew members.

6. Seaspan

This company is a leader in independent container ship management and ownership, with a fleet of 134 container ships and 67 under construction. Its fleet has evolved to meet the requirements of its customers.

It owns and operates ships in sizes from 2500 to 24,000 TEUs.

It employs over 5200 people at its offices in Hong Kong, India, Canada and onboard their fleet of 134 container vessels.

Their fleet of ships is built at shipyards like Samsung Heavy Industries, Hyundai Heavy Industries, Jiangsu Yangzijang Shipyards and CSBC Corporation.

The company’s best services include efficiency upgrades, retrofits, and fuel transitioning to help clients meet their targets.

7. Columbia Shipmanagement

This is an international organisation with more than 45 years of experience as a provider of maritime services within the maritime sector.

It has a global presence with over 25 offices, training centres and crew agencies, which connects it to its 15,000 employees.

It has over 450 ships under full and crew management and is one of the biggest ship managers in the world, offering an array of services such as Technical and Crew management, Commercial services, and Post-fixture Operations.

New-building supervision, Digitalisation, insurance and claims, sales and purchase, financial consulting, warehousing, navigation and communication, cruise vessel management and services, superyacht management, hospitality training, etc.

8. Fleet Management Limited

This company was born in Hong Kong in 1994 and offers services like ship management, crew management and training, newbuilding supervision, insurance and procurement and technology and innovation.

It is driven by the experience and skill of 27,000 seafarers and 1200 shore-based employees, which helps manage 650 plus ships under its management.

The company has offices in China, Cyprus, India, Korea, Philippines, Turkey, Singapore and UAE. It has a presence in 11 countries and 25 global offices.

9. Synergy Marine Group

Synergy is based in Singapore and is known for its custom-made thought partnership strategies with shipowners, which has led to around 700 vessels under its management.

It has 28,000 seafarers and 30 offices in 15 countries.

Synergy manages the most complex LNG vessels, LPG ships, 20,000-plus TEU container vessels, chemical and oil tankers, bulk and car carriers, etc.

The company focuses on crew well-being, training, digitalisation and environmentally responsible policies.

10. Wallem Group

This ship management company offers a range of maritime solutions from ship management, ship agency, and commercial services to lifeboat safety and compliance.

It manages more than 200 vessels and has a pool of 6000 seafarers and a network of wholly owned training centres.

Its fleet includes tankers, bulk carriers, vehicle carriers, container ships, etc, and in 2023, it added its first dual-fuel LNG Carrier. It has a global presence in Singapore, Hamburg, India and Cyprus.

The company has a long history in the maritime industry, going back to 1903 when it was established in Shanghai, China, as a ship broking and chartering company.

Conclusion

Ship management companies bring specialised knowledge, expertise and skill which enables ships to run smoothly, reducing downtime and operational costs. By outsourcing management functions, shipowners can avoid costs associated with hiring an in-house staff, buying equipment and managing complex operations. Ship Management companies also help with risk assessment and management. Thus, by entrusting operational aspects to these companies, owners can focus on their core business activities, like expanding their fleet or operations and getting new contracts, rather than dealing with management challenges.

You might also like to read-

• What is Ship Management?
• What is Ship Energy Efficiency Management Plan?
• Role Of Seafarers In Budgeting And Cost Management On Board Ships
• Procedure To Take Shore Power During Dry Docking Of Ships