Over the last few months, we at Spinnaker have been inundated with calls and emails from broking houses who are in desperate need of experienced brokers, specifically those specialising in the dry cargo panamax segment and chemical tankers.
This “broker boom” may be fuelled by the limited availability and modest orderbook for new panamax ships with broking houses having an eye on the future market prospects for these ships. The panamax orderbook is in sharp contrast to the capesize orderbook, which is the strongest it’s been for 6 years, according to a recent Tradewinds article.
The panamax market has broadly performed well recently (albeit described this week as lethargic!). Similarly, the chemical tanker market is on the rise, with sustained demand for petrochemical products boosting rates for tankers in this niche. With a shortage of supply, the potential rewards for brokers in this sector look positive.
Such is employer optimism, I have clients looking for entire teams of panamax brokers in hubs such as Dubai, Hong Kong and Switzerland. Clients are looking to expand into locations they have not had teams in before – such as mainland China, Tokyo and Copenhagen.
As we move towards 2025, this spike in demand for shipbrokers shows no sign of slowing.
So, if you are a broker looking to move, or a broker waiting for your end-of-year bonus before you consider a move, please contact me to discuss the options available from January 2025 …just around the corner!
Article written by Aaron Griggs, Recruitment Consultant
