Examples of times when less cargo was available

During Trade Sanctions against South Africa up to 1990 Because trade sanctions against South Africa during the apartheid times had taken effect less cargo was available and fewer ships were needed. Lower freight and charter rates were being experienced. At the start of the container era, the South Africa-Europe Container Service used 9 large containerships…

Examples of times when much cargo was available

Rebuilding of Europe and Japan after World War 2 Huge volumes of construction materials were required to rebuild the cities, towns and infrastructure that had been badly damaged during the war. Huge volumes of grain and other food needed to be moved to Europe and Japan where people were starving as many farmlands and animals…

Ship Chartering (“Hiring” a Ship)

Many ships are chartered (hired) from their owners for specific periods. This is especially important in moving dry and liquid bulk cargoes and most bulk carrier and tankers are chartered from their owners by cargo owners to move specific cargoes. Reasons for Chartering a Ship rather than buying a Ship Large amounts of capital are…

Shipbroking

A ship broker is a company (or person) who performs important roles in any of the following : Assists a shipowner to buy or sell a ship; Assists a cargo owner to find a suitable ship to move his cargo. (This is especially important in dry bulk trades or the bulk liquid trades where a…

Ship Management

Some shipowners prefer to place their ships under the management of specialist companies who manage the vessels. This might be because the owner does not have the resources or experience to manage the ship properly, or the company has only a few ships and it is difficult to operate a few ships economically while retaining…

Ship Owning

Anyone can become a ship owner – an individual, a company, a bank, a consortium of companies, or other group. Whoever owns a ship wants the ship to be an investment in terms of its ability to earn money by moving cargo, or by carrying passengers, or by providing a service (e.g. tugs or survey…

Engineering Officer

The rank structure among engineering officers on a merchant ship (containerships, bulker, tankers, etc) is as follows : Engineer Cadet Fourth Engineering Officer Third Engineering Officer Second Engineering Officer Chief Engineering Officer The career path from a Grade 12 student to the Chief Engineering Officer of a large ship is as follows : Grade 12…