ARAS Shipbrokers
“We aim for the long term, and that is why we have worked with Rivermaas for years.”
THE RELATIONSHIP IN PURCHASING AND SALES
As Rivermaas sees it, the strength of the network makes the difference in the rapidly changing shipping sector. With ARAS Shipbrokers as a network partner, Rivermaas has specialist knowledge and expertise for the purchasing and sales processes of ships. “Just like Rivermaas, we stand for openness and clarity,” says Rod Schlick, director of ARAS.
ARAS is a renowned shipbroking agency that supervises the purchasing and sales processes of seagoing ships and provides advice about them. Just like Rivermaas, the people who work there have a background in shipping. Schlick himself worked as a captain, for instance. It is an experience that he still benefits from every day.
“We have a technical commercial background and that’s very useful. Our sector is rather specialised. Few ships are the same. That’s the nice part of the work,” says Schlick. “Every case is different.”
For ARAS, the purchasing and sales processes of seagoing ships often start with a buyer who is interested in a Rivermaas ship, for instance. But it can also be that case that Rivermaas has already brought the parties into contact.
Schlick says, “We then help make sure that the entire process of advice on valuation, negotiation and signing contracts right through to the delivery will run smoothly. We focus on the longer term, which is why we’ve worked with Rivermaas for years. We both want to do our job in an open and transparent way. That also ensures better results for both of us.”
According to the shipbroker, the purchasing and sales processes for seagoing vessels have a purely commercial side, just like houses. But there’s often a relationship-based side too. “This kind of process can sometimes take a few months. So it’s important that the transfer doesn’t get hung up along the way on matters where you end up wondering afterwards if they were really necessary. Emotions are involved too. It’s also about trust.”
In this overall picture, Rivermaas is a company with a signature of its own, as the S&P broker describes it: “Unlike many shipping companies, they assess projects on the merits of the various aspects of the project. They are flexible enough to be active in various niches within short sea shipping. If they spot a good opportunity, then they buy or sell.”