Shipbroker Howe Robinson Partners is expanding its newly formed LNG team with two experienced industry professionals.
Managing partner Henry Liddell told TradeWinds that Jon Cook, who was formerly chief executive at Flex LNG in London, is joining the company to work out of its Houston office in the US.
Liddell said Cook would be working as a consultant on LNG.
Prior to working for Flex LNG, Cook was employed on the commercial side with TMS Cardiff Gas and regasification specialist Excelerate Energy. There has been much industry speculation as to where he might next emerge.
Bruce Moore — another well-known industry face — this week also started work with the Howe Robinson LNG team on a full-time basis.
Moore previously worked for BP Shipping for more than 14 years, where he worked on the company’s LNG newbuilding projects and vessel chartering.
The two will work alongside Debbie Turner, who joined Howe Robinson in January to set up its LNG desk after leaving shipbroker Simpson Spence Young in 2018.
'Very pleased'
“We are very pleased,” Liddell said. “We expanded the [LNG] desk as we had advised.
Liddell, who specialises in tankers and project business, added that both of these new employees are coming onboard to focus mainly on project business.
“We hope to be adding a spot [chartering] broker in due course,” he said.
He added that this would likely be in London initially, and be completed before the end of the year.
“I think at the moment there is not too much money on the spot side for brokers,” Liddell said. “I think that will change in the future as there are more independent owners who have ships uncommitted for period business."
Liddell added that there also seems to be a “certain will” from parties in the LNG business to get a spot market up and running.
Asked about the brokerage’s experience of the LNG business to date, he said: “We are investing in the business in a conservative way.
“I think everyone would agree that it is a slow burn for brokers who are joining the market. But we believe in it and are investing in seasoned personnel to help us take the business forward.”
