What Simpson Spence Young does

Simpson Spence Young (SSY) is a London-headquartered, privately owned shipbroking house founded in 1880 by Ernest Simpson, Lewis Spence, and Captain William Young. The firm operates across 28 global offices with 650 broking experts and describes itself as the largest privately owned broking house in the world. SSY provides integrated broking services spanning chartering (spot, time, voyage, and contracts of affreightment), sale and purchase, newbuilding facilitation, vessel valuations, corporate finance advisory, and specialised research across 14 divisions covering Dry Cargo, Tankers, Derivatives, LNG, LPG, Offshore, Rigs, Nuclear Energy, Chemicals, Aquaculture, Towage, Ship Recycling, and Sale & Purchase.

The firm's commercial platform rests on a relationship-led, sales-driven go-to-market executed by senior brokers embedded in regional hubs, supported by a research department established in 1984, a Navigator data and research portal with API-accessible data feeds, an SSY Offshore mobile application, and structured publications including the Monthly Shipping Review, Tanker Weekly Reports, Dry Bulk Forecaster, and LNG SONAR/RADAR reports. SSY earns revenue primarily through transaction-based commissions on charter fixtures, sale and purchase transactions, and derivatives brokerage, supplemented by fixed fees for vessel valuations and advisory mandates for corporate finance (capital raising, M&A, restructurings). The SSY Futures arm extends the broking franchise into commodities derivatives across freight, metals, agricultural, oil, and uranium markets following the 2025 acquisition of Uranium Markets, while SSY Finance, SSY Valuation Services, and SSY Consultancy & Research operate as wholly owned specialised subsidiaries.

The customer base is diversified across large shipping charterers, shipowners and operators, oil majors and energy traders, nuclear utilities, financial institutions, freight and metals traders, and boutique firms. Recent corporate activity — including the 2025 acquisitions of Uranium Markets and Grieg Shipbrokers, and the launches of dedicated Ship Recycling, Rigs, and Aquaculture divisions — has materially extended SSY's vertical and geographic footprint, with the Grieg deal expanding the Scandinavian presence and pushing headcount above 650.

Name

Simpson Spence Young

Legal name

Simpson Spence Young LLP

Website

https://ssyglobal.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1880

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Simpson Spence Young is the world's largest privately owned shipbroking house, founded 1880, providing chartering, sale and purchase, derivatives, valuations, and corporate finance services to charterers, shipowners, oil majors, and financial institutions through 28 global offices and 650 experts.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices28 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Shipbroking Commission: SSY earns commissions on charter fixtures, sale and purchase transactions, and other maritime contracts. Commission is typically based on freight, hire, or sale price and is negotiated on a fixture-by-fixture basis or per commission agreements. The company also earns fees for vessel valuations, market research reports, and consultancy services.
2. Commodities Derivatives Brokerage: SSY Futures provides brokerage services across freight, metals (base and precious), bulk commodities, nuclear (uranium), agricultural products, and oil derivatives markets. Revenue generated through transaction-based brokerage fees.
3. Corporate Finance Advisory: Services include capital raising, M&A advisory, co-investments, and restructurings for maritime clients. Revenue through advisory fees and transaction commissions.
4. Valuation Services: SSY Valuation Services provides analytical skills and expert opinions for vessel valuations, working with shipowners and financial institutions. Fees are typically fixed per valuation or per engagement.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SSY is the world's largest privately owned shipbroking firm, providing integrated broking services including chartering (spot, time, voyage), contracts of affreightment, sale and purchase transactions, newbuilding facilitation, vessel valuations, commodities derivatives brokerage, and corporate finance advisory across 14 shipping and maritime-adjacent divisions. The firm serves charterers, shipowners, operators, oil companies, traders, financial institutions, and commodity houses through 28 global offices and approximately 650 broking experts.

Product overview

SSY (Simpson Spence Young) is the world's largest privately owned shipbroking house, offering a comprehensive and integrated suite of broking services for the maritime and maritime adjacent sectors. The firm operates through its core SSY brand alongside specialized sub-brands including SSY Futures (commodities derivatives), SSY Uranium Markets (nuclear energy brokerage, acquired 2025), and SSY Valuation Services. The SSY platform is complemented by the Navigator Portal for data and research access. The portfolio spans 14 broking divisions covering Dry Cargo, Tankers, Derivatives, LNG, LPG, Sale & Purchase, Offshore, Rigs, Nuclear Energy, Chemicals, Aquaculture, Towage, Ship Recycling, and Corporate Finance, supported by a dedicated Research department providing market intelligence. With 145+ years of experience, 650 experts, and 28 global offices, SSY delivers 24-hour service coverage across all major shipping and commodity markets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Dry Cargo Broking Global dry cargo brokerage covering Capesize, Panamax, Supramax and Handysize vessels, handling spot, time, and voyage charters as well as contracts of affreightment for charterers, shipowners, and operators worldwide.
• Tankers Broking Global tanker brokerage working with oil companies, traders, shipowners and operators to charter crude oil and refined petroleum products across global trade routes.
• SSY Futures Derivatives Brokerage Commodities derivatives brokerage covering freight, base and precious metals, bulk commodities, nuclear (uranium), agricultural, and oil derivatives markets, with offices in London, Singapore, Dubai, Shanghai, Geneva and Stamford CT.
• LNG Broking LNG spot market broking, long-term chartering, projects, small-scale and LNG bunkering, sale and purchase, and newbuildings, delivered by brokers across London, Singapore, Stamford CT, Athens and Beijing.
• LPG Broking Global LPG and Ammonia trades coverage including spot market broking, long-term chartering, projects, sale and purchase, and newbuildings.
• Sale & Purchase Broking Sale & Purchase and newbuilding transactions for all conventional shipping markets, supported by market intelligence on next-generation shipping technology for shipowners, operators, and investors.
• Offshore Broking Leading offshore shipbroking services for the oil & gas and offshore wind sectors, with global coverage from offices in Aberdeen, Dubai, Hamburg, Kristiansand and Oslo.
• Rigs Broking Dedicated Rig brokerage within SSY's Offshore portfolio, handling newbuilds, sale and purchase, and charter contracts for offshore rigs, with a specialist team active for almost two decades.
• Towage Broking Harbour towage representation for close to a century, representing leading towage contractors globally and securing competitive rates and preferential terms.
• Chemicals Broking Marine chemicals broking covering all aspects of chemical tanker vessel transportation from chartering to vessel operations, including spot charters, contracts of affreightment, and time-charters for easy chemicals, edible oils, acids, biofuels, olefins, petrochemicals, and LPG.
• Corporate Finance Capital raising across debt and equity markets and transaction advisory including M&A, co-investments, and restructurings for maritime clients, delivered via dedicated desks in London, Oslo, Singapore and Shanghai.
• SSY Valuation Services Vessel valuation services providing analytical skills and expert opinions for shipowners and financial institutions worldwide, with a neutral valuation approach and in-depth market knowledge, typically delivered within 48 hours.
• SSY Uranium Markets (Nuclear Energy Brokerage) Nuclear fuels brokerage combining financial brokerage expertise with knowledge of the nuclear fuels market, providing market insight and facilitating transactions across spot and long-term uranium financial markets.
• Ship Recycling Broking Ship recycling broking supporting clients with the complexities of efficient and safe ship recycling, navigating regulatory shifts such as Hong Kong Convention enforcement.
• Aquaculture Broking Specialist shipbroking and advisory services for the aquaculture industry, supporting fish farmers, vessel owners and investors with chartering, vessel placement, newbuilding projects, S&P transactions, and strategic advisory.
• Navigator Portal (Research and Data Subscriptions) Online research and data subscription platform providing clients access to data feeds, reports, fixtures, freight rate series, and shipping demand/fleet supply data through a tailored dashboard.
• SSY Research and Market Intelligence Market intelligence across Tankers, Dry Cargo, Gas, Chemicals and Offshore sectors, supported by an in-house research team, producing the Monthly Shipping Review, Tanker Weekly Report, Dry Bulk Forecaster, LNG SONAR, RADAR, chemical weekly reports, and technical analysis updates.

Quantifiable outcome

• Global Shipbroking Market projected to grow from USD 2.1 billion in 2025 to USD 3.2 billion by 2035 at 4.3% CAGR

Named customers8 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

Yes

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Grieg ShipbrokerscoreOthers · 12 December 2025SSY acquired Grieg Shipbrokers in December 2025 as part of its expansion strategy. The acquisition strengthens SSY's presence in the Scandinavian market and expands its brokerage capabilities.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Poten & Partners: US-headquartered shipbroker and advisory firm specializing in tankers, LNG, and offshore, with consulting and valuation services. Comparable to SSY's Tanker and Gas broking franchises and overlapping research/valuation offerings.
• Clarkson PLC: The largest listed shipbroker globally, headquartered in London, providing broking services across dry cargo, tankers, gas, offshore, and related research. Closest direct competitor to SSY across nearly every division, with comparable global office footprint and integrated research/data products.
• Optima Brokers: Greek-based shipbroker covering dry cargo, tankers, and gas with a Mediterranean client focus. Comparable to SSY in independent broking model and product breadth, though smaller and more regionally concentrated.
• Howe Robinson Partners: Privately held London-based shipbroking firm covering tankers, dry cargo, gas, and offshore, with a strong reputation in S&P. Closely comparable to SSY in size, private ownership structure, and integrated broking model.
• ACM Group: Publicly listed maritime services group (formerly Braemar ACM) providing shipbroking, offshore, and shipping advisory. Direct competitor to SSY in tanker and dry cargo broking and in corporate finance advisory for shipping clients.
• BRS Group (Barry Rogliano Salles): French-headquartered international shipbroker offering chartering, S&P, and shipping finance advisory. Closely comparable to SSY in private ownership, full-service broking model, and global office footprint.
• Arrow Shipbrokers: Independent international shipbroker with offices across Europe and Asia, offering chartering and S&P across multiple segments. Comparable to SSY as a privately owned, multi-divisional broker competing for similar enterprise shipping clients.
• Fearnleys: Leading Norwegian shipbroker offering sale & purchase, newbuilding, chartering, and offshore services with strong Scandinavian client base. Highly comparable to SSY on geographic mix, product breadth, and family/partnership-style ownership.

Broad incumbents

• Maersk Broker: Shipbroking arm of A.P. Møller–Maersk, providing chartering, S&P, and research with a broader captive industrial mandate. Comparable in product offering but operates with the strategic backing of one of the world's largest shipowners, giving it different scale dynamics than an independent like SSY.
• RS Platou (Pareto): Norwegian-headquartered shipbroker now part of the Pareto group, providing sale & purchase, newbuilding, and offshore advisory with strong Nordic shipowner relationships. Comparable to SSY in Scandinavian client overlap and S&P/newbuilding capabilities, though operating within a larger financial services group.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ssy---simpson-spence-young
• Xx.com/ssyonline

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Subsidiaries6 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Simpson Spence Young