German shipbrokers ARA Shipbrokers Hamburg and JP Maritime Services & Broking have formed a partnership in the sale-and-purchase sector.
JP Maritime founder Jan Preugschat will be part of a five-strong S&P team in Hamburg led by ARA Shipbroking co-founder and partner Sven Oest.
The two companies will seek to develop synergies in different parts of the shipping business.
ARA will continue to focus on the container, multipurpose and coasters, while JP Maritime will develop its expertise in the bulker, tanker and LPG segment.
Preugschat, who is returning to the shipbroking fold after a one-year sabbatical, credits ARA’s track record and impressive development.
That has led to the company growing into one of the largest Hamburg-based independent S&P brokers, he noted.
“I am convinced that we will have a lot of fun and success together,” Preugschat said.
The 57-year-old established JP Maritime in 2015. He previously spent nearly four decades working for German and international companies in Hamburg, Hong Kong and Singapore.
He was also for many years in charge of the in-house S&P activities of Chilean shipping interests.
Clicked
The unified desk will work under the banner of ARA, a company formed in 2011 that also handles the in-house business for ARA Shipmanagement of the Netherlands.
ARA currently employs four full-time S&P brokers including Oest and colleagues Rena Maasch, Niklas Schroder and Jeroen Galle.
“We are very happy to bring these two well-placed companies together,” Oest said.
“We had a few meetings and exchanged ideas. We realised we clicked in how we see the market, and how you should work the market,” Oest said.
“Jan has a great attitude and vast experience in the business. He can clearly enhance our capabilities and know-how when it comes to bulkers, tankers and LPG [ships],” he concluded.
