Germany’s Harren Group is starting up a new commercial platform that will look to lease vessels and take ships on long-term time-charters.

Bremen-based Harren Bulkers owns and manages a fleet of dry-cargo vessels of up to post-panamax in tonnage.

Its newly established commercial arm Harren Bulk Shipping will allow the family-owned group to branch out into chartering services, commercial management of owned and third-party tonnage and will be an independent time-charter operator.

Dr Martin Harren, CEO of the Harren Group, said that being “close to the cargo” has always been key for the group.

“This is why Harren Bulkers will utilise and enhance the existing network and strive to assert the brand on the market for bulk tonnage,” he said in a release on Thursday.

“Harren Bulkers’ new commercial outfit will approach the leasing and long-term time-charter markets. Customers will benefit from more choices and individual solutions.”

Harren Bulk Shipping will be managed and operated by Harren Bulkers’ existing team and Jan-Philipp Rauno, who joined in June as managing director.

Rano is a director of Eagle Bulk (Europe) and is head of commercial of Nachipa, a Chilean owner-operator of bulk carriers.

“Japhi brings over 30 years of extensive experience with dry bulk markets, especially in the handy, supra/ultra[max] and panamax segments. He has held various senior management positions with reputable dry bulk companies throughout Europe,” said Captain Joachim Zeppenfeld, managing director at Harren Bulkers.

“We have agreed on a long-term partnership. I am extremely pleased that Japhi is part of our team now.”

Rauno said he was “excited” to expand the company’s commercial offering and competencies.

“I expect that we will significantly increase our fleet of modern bulk carriers in the near future,” he commented.

Harren Bulkers was formed in 2020, when German ship managers Bremer Bereederungsgesellschaft (BBG) and Harren & Partner (H&P) merged management of their bulker fleets.