Clarksons has bolstered its operation in Japan with the appointment of veteran tanker executive Christian Skovhoj as managing director of Clarksons Platou Japan in Tokyo.
Skovhoj comes to the job with more than 20 years shipping experience. He was vice president at Oldendorff Carriers Japan for six years, focusing on period business, sale and purchase, and newbuildings.
After starting his shipping career as a trainee at AP Moller-Maersk, he worked at Maersk Broker and served as head of S&P at Overseas Shipbuilding Group.
Late on the scene
Skovhoj said: "Japan has a big presence on the shipping industry in terms of shipowners and shipyards. NYK Line alone has around 30 chartering personnel. Clarksons should have been here 20 years ago and many would agree.”
Clarksons' Tokyo office was established early last year after taking over local shipbroking outfit Teh Tung Inc. It started off with six people but today it has about 18 staff.
Its main business in Japan is on the dry side, since the nation is a major player in the sector. However, Clarksons Japan operation also has one staff member working in each of the containership and LPG segments.
“Clarksons has been working with the Japanese for a long time but never had an office presence here,” said Skovhoj. “Japan has a big shipping market and Japanese business culture requires face-to-face meeting. We need to be closer to them.”
Skovhoj said the takeover of Teh Tung, a family-run firm with a long history of working with Clarksons, was a "natural" step to launch a presence in Japan.
He said the country's shipping landscape is changing.
Overseas business
“The Japanese are yearning for more information and they are willing to work with foreign companies other than local trading houses and broking firms. Clarksons has the technology to optimise clients’ requirements and the resources to carry out project business for them," he said.
"Japanese shipping companies used to practise long-term chartering but that has changed. They are receptive to fix short-term charters and even index-linked deals.”
Skovhoj said that Clarksons is not likely to be the only international broking house expanding in Japan. He expects rivals to follow suit.
“A few years ago, we saw Japanese firms such as MOL and K Line leaving Japan for other countries such as Singapore, but they are shifting back here,” he added.
