Welcome

As a major provider of education and training, the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) sets and examines the syllabus for membership, providing the shipping industry with highly qualified professionals.

ICS is internationally, widely recognised, as the professional body in the maritime arena and it represents shipbrokers, ship managers and agents throughout the world.

Having been granted its Royal Charter in 1920, it now has 25 branches in key shipping areas, 4000 individuals and 120 company members. The Institute's membership represents a commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards across the shipping industry.

The Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers' London & South East Branch is the largest and oldest branch within the Institute and is focussed on both the continuing professional education of our members and on providing them with networking opportunities.

The branch would like to thank the following companies for their support

Latest News

Fuelling the decarbonisation debate

by Richard Scott FICS, member of London & South East Branch Committee, 19 May 2021

More heat was generated last month in the debate about decarbonising shipping when an authoritative report on the topic was published. Experts at the World Bank expressed doubts about how much liquefied natural gas as a marine fuel could contribute to the transition.

The published summary of the World Bank’s report provides a useful and readable overview of the wider maritime decarbonisation story. But a controversial aspect was its suggestion that LNG “is estimated to play a rather limited role in the transition towards low- and zero-carbon shipping, being mostly used in niche applications”.

The coal trade conundrum

by Richard Scott FICS, member of London & South East Branch Committee, 25 May 2021

A dark cloud overshadows the bulk carrier market. Looking ahead up to the end of the decade and beyond, prospects for global seaborne coal trade are not good.

This outlook is especially significant because of the huge volume traded annually. Coal comprises well over 20% of all international dry bulk commodity movements, and therefore contributes a large proportion of employment for the world bulk carrier fleet.

Environmental influences gaining momentum in many countries are driving coal usage downwards. The negative impact on import demand is visible. Last year, the effects were exacerbated by the pandemic which reduced energy consumption around the world.

Yet it is still not clear when a longer-term downwards trend in coal trade is likely to start, or how rapid it may prove. In the meantime, a number of forecasters agree that there is potential for at least a partial recovery in the annual trade volume during 2021, perhaps a 4-5% increase.

Attracting talent to maritime employment

by Richard Scott FICS, member of London & South East Branch Committee, 26 March 2021

After a year of pandemic, are there any changes in employers’ views which could make jobs in the maritime sector more appealing? In particular, what changes in recruitment policies could increase the attractiveness of shore-based employment?

Several weeks ago ship management company V.Group published a paper entitled Attracting talent to the maritime industry. This paper looks at how the pandemic has affected recruitment, focusing on both onshore and seafarer categories.

Institute of Chartered ShipbrokersLondon & South East Branch