What’s it like working as a Ship Charterer?

As the controllers of cargoes, charterers are directly responsible for keeping the world’s shipping fleet in business. While some Charterers own ships themselves, either on a leased or permanent basis, most charterers regularly hire ships, or space on ships, to move their goods, products and even passengers.

Ship Charterers either liaise with intermediaries, known as Ship Brokers, or directly with ship owners to arrange the hire or charter of ships to get those cargoes to their clients by the most cost-effective and timely means. Ship Charterers therefore need to be in touch with the market to find the most suitable and cost effective transport options.

What kind of work can I do?

Using standard forms, Ship Charterers will plan a voyage, calculate the costs involved, organise clearance and dispatch of ships, and handle ship and cargo-related documents. There is also a requirement to handle damage and insurance cases, should the need arise. Good communication and interpersonal skills are therefore essential for this role, while an analytical and proactive nature can also prove useful.

Where can I work?

Ship Chartering companies are a diverse group – ranging from the world’s largest oil companies, to mining concerns, international commodities traders and grain houses. They deal in almost every commodity – from raw materials such as iron ore, bauxite, grain and crude oil to highly refined products such as aviation fuel and petrochemicals.

At the peak of an economic cycle, the demand for Ship Charterers will be high, in line with increased trade growth and the high demand for ships to transport the cargo. However, the flip side of this is that when the market dips, so too does demand for ships and Ship Charterers.

Ship Charterers play an important role at the deep end of ship operations, helping to pair ships with suitable cargoes.

Line Lund Clausen, Chartering Manager MICS

Line Lund Clausen, Chartering Manager at J. Lauritzen Singapore Pte. Ltd. laughingly recalls a memorable incident that occurred some years back. Amidst the holidaymakers who were sun tanning on the beach in the Caribbean Islands, sipping their pina coladas and chilling out to the ocean sounds, Line was on duty, looked decidedly out of place togged up in her boiler suit, heavy helmet and bulky boots.

”I guessed people must have been wondering what I was doing there, dressed in such a peculiar manner. I was tempted to point to the waters across the horizon and proudly proclaim, ‘Hey! That’s my ship waiting at the port! I’m here on duty to oversee its operations!’” quips Line.

Till this day, Line still keeps that boiler suit in her wardrobe, although she has moved on from operations to chartering. The self-professed go-getter has never been afraid to take on new job titles or responsibilities. She credits her guts to her years spent growing up in Denmark, which has transformed her into a fighter who continually overcomes challenges.

”Back home, I considered the option of studying law, but eventually decided that it’d only be restricted to the geographical boundaries of Denmark,” Line shares. ”So, I began searching for a career option that would give me more international exposure. I found my answer in the maritime industry.”

That developed into a personal goal that she set her mind to accomplish. After obtaining her specialised Bachelor’s degree from the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers in the UK , she was selected to join J. Lauritzen as a shipping trainee. For the next two years, she would clock regular hours at work, and continue with paperwork and assignments in the evenings. All these experiences proved to be good training for Line as she was next posted to Connecticut, U.S. to kick-start J. Lauritzen’s Operations Department. Three years into that position, Line requested for an overseas posting in the area of chartering – a sector of the shipping industry she had always been keen to explore.

Today, based in Singapore as a Chartering Manager, her daily chartering responsibilities are to fix cargoes and ships within the Far East including Hong Kong, Taiwan, Korea and Japan, and the U.S. West Coast, West Coast Canada, Central and South America.

Till this day, Line remembers her early days in the Operations Department when she had to liaise directly with ships and their cargo operations. Consequently, a great deal of her time was spent working with ships and clients on various contracts on affreightment and spot cargoes.

Asked her how much time she spends on trading and networking, she states that she spends only 5 per cent of her time in actual trading. She further reveals, ”The other 95 per cent of my time is spent updating myself with worldwide freight rates, collecting information by talking to people, finding out what the competitors are doing and discussing expectations of the market with my colleagues.”

Having travelled from the West to the East, it is inevitable that Line sometimes misses Denmark. However, she reasons that ”the adventure of immersing myself in diverse cultures in different countries and the challenge to create milestones in my personal career far outweigh any sacrifices that I have to make!”

What’s in Her Bag?

Keys + keyring: I bought this keyring on a business trip to Sydney in February 2007. I fly regularly to Sydney and Melbourne to liaise with my customers and brokers there.

Business card holder: I bought this business card holder in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It does a good job of keeping my business cards nice and clean.

Wallet: My hubby gave me this wallet for my birthday in 2006. I carry it around with me almost everywhere I go and a must on my overseas trips – as it is a special gift from someone whom I care about a lot.

iPod: I received this iPod on my last day of work at the New York office. This gift from my colleagues is a precious reminder of my stint in ’The Big Apple’.

Sunglasses: I bought this pair of sunglasses in Panama. I was there to analyse agents’ prices and performances for a customer who wanted the best deal for their large fleet of ships passing through the Panama Canal.

Pen: It’s nice to have something from home when you are abroad. I treasure this gift from my Dad as it constantly reminds me of his presence in my life, even though he is far away in Denmark.

Blackberry: The maritime industry is buzzing with activities, 24 /7, 365 days a year. I need my Blackberry to attend to work issues, whether at 4.00am in the morning or on Christmas Eve. This wireless handheld device which offers easy internet connectivity is the perfect solution for me.

Make-up: Working in a male-dominant industry doesn’t mean I must lose my feminine touch. My make-up, a must in my bag, is my survival kit. When I look good, I feel good!

J. Lauritzen memory stick: This handy memory stick is a fantastic tool that stores all the data I need. On it, I keep my contractual clauses and other important information that I might need during negotiations. Whether I’m at work, at home or anywhere else, I can easily

SOURCE: Singapore Maritime Careers

How big is this sector?

There are plenty of opportunities for Ship Charterers within international shipping companies, but while ship broking companies often favour on-the-job training, ship chartering companies generally prefer some prior maritime knowledge.

Job-seekers interested in becoming a Ship Charter should investigate maritime degrees at universities or professional training options through shipping institutions.