Four major shipbrokers are pushing a new initiative to boost the contribution from the dry cargo business to Mercy Ships’ famous Cargo Day.
Brokers from the Geneva offices of Clarksons, BRS, Ifchor Galbraiths and Arrow are the main protagonists of Dry Bulk Mercy Week, which got underway yesterday.
The Mercy Ships charity arranges a Cargo Day every year, at which shipping players pledge commissions to support vital hospital ships.
Traditionally, the tanker sector is the main contributor.
Now, Manu Ravano of Ifchor, Victor Boutrolle of BRS, Nico Lamoine of Clarksons and Guy Willson of Arrow are looking to change the picture.
The Dry Bulk Mercy Week initiative is seeking to raise $500,000.
Very motivated
Dry bulk players joined the Mercy Ships Cargo Day for the first time a couple of years ago, and last year contributed around $200,000 to the overall pot.
The tanker business was the largest contributor at about $1.8m, Mercy Ships told TradeWinds.
A spokesperson said of the four brokers backing the new project: “They are very motivated and want to increase the results, [to see] how can they make it their own and with a real identity.”
In an email, Mercy Ships said until now, more than $700,000 has been raised with 27 pledges from the participation of 10 charterers, 12 shipbrokers, 16 shipowners and seven service companies.
Andrea Olivi, global head of wet freight at Trafigura, said: “What is incredible is that we have people from the tanker industry and the dry bulk industry and what we have to do for the future is bring more [of the] industry together.”
For more information on Dry Cargo Day, visit: www.MercyShipsCargoDay.org
