Danish start-up Cornerstone Maritime is seeking more tonnage after agreeing a deal to take over its first managed tanker.
The company has been founded by Simon Toft, its managing director and a former Maersk Brokers and Wonsild man.
Toft has owned and run broker Casos Shipping for the last five years.
It said on Friday it will manage the 15,900-dwt Ierax (built 1998) commercially from 10 May.
Cornerstone will handle chartering and operation of the ice-class 1A vessel.
The tanker is listed as owned by Spitsbergen Inc and is currently managed by Fareast Shipmanagement of Hong Kong.
The company said it had "strong expectations about further expansion in 2019 when it comes to tonnage as well as personnel."
Focus on tankers
Toft told TradeWinds the company will focus mainly on tankers.
"But we are open to look into other segments if profitable," he added.
"Our expectation is to grow with an un-targeted number of oil/chemical tankers within the intermediate segment (13,000-20,000 dwt) as well as the MR segment (up to 50,000 dwt)."
Toft said he is not in a rush to recruit more staff.
But he will look to add people with strong networks and chartering background, as the "philosophy is to grow organically and not necessarily acquisitively as seen too many times in the industry."
Casos Shipping remains active as a brokerage, he said.
