Major shipbroker Simpson Spence Young (SSY) is continuing the expansion of its global network by opening a new office in Genoa, Italy.
The new office, which will open in the third quarter, will focus on dry cargo and on handy, supramax and panamax bulk carriers in particular.
SSY said a “number of individuals” from a local shipbroking firm will join the team at its new Genoa hub, but did not disclose details on how many staff or from where they have been poached.
Stanko Jekov, SSY's global head of dry cargo and incoming chairman, said: “We’re very pleased to be establishing a base in Genoa and continuing to grow our Dry Cargo division. I’m also delighted to welcome a very talented team to the SSY group, and we look forward to working with them on new opportunities in this region.”
SSY expanded its global network with the acquisition of Anchor Shipbroking in Athens this year and is understood to be on the hunt to hire other brokers. Anchor has been merged into the new office that SSY opened in Athens in 2021.
Last month, SSY confirmed that it has scooped three senior tanker brokers from rival shipbroker Charles R Weber in the US and made a new hire for its financial unit, SSY Finance.
SSY in June poached three handysize brokers in Singapore from its rival Maersk Broker Bulk Chartering.
Outgoing chairman Mark Richardson, who will retire at the end of this year, told TradeWinds last year that he would like to grow the headcount to 500 or 600 people. SSY currently employs around 400 staff worldwide.
