Benson Ho

Thurlestone Shipping was established in London in 2004 by two long serving dry bulk shipping professionals. Their aspiration was to develop a company true to the principles of physical shipbroking. The opening of our London office in 2004 coincided with the beginning of China’s commodity super cycle. The resulting boom in the dry bulk markets powered our early expansion in what was at that time one of the dry bulk shipping centres. As the industrialisation of China up-ended the established order in dry bulk shipping, we responded by establishing an office in Beijing in 2006 to service the rapidly growing in ship-owning, operating and steel sectors. In 2008, Thurlestone Shipping Singapore Ltd opened its doors to support the mining companies and commodity traders who were rapidly establishing commercial operations on China’s doorstep. Singapore’s explosion as a shipping centre meant that it rapidly become the home of Thurlestone’s Asian headquarters. In 2009, Thurlestone Australia was established to offer shipping support and advice to the vibrant mining sector, from major companies who had been in business for decades to start-ups looking to ship their first tons. In 2012 Thurlestone Shipping SARL, opened in Monaco, adding the Sale & Purchase of shipping assets to our roster of services. Complimenting our strong physical dry bulk and S&P shipping presence, Thurlestone’s entry into Forward Freight Agreements (FFA’s) in 2019, provided our clients with the ability to hedge physical exposure thereby better managing the risks in their business. In recent years, we have opened additional offices in Athens, Hamburg, Copenhagen, Oslo, and Dubai, significantly increasing the company’s reach and ability to service local markets. Today, we are regarded as one of the world’s leading dry bulk shipbroking and shipping services providers.