Al-Rashed International Shipping

What Al-Rashed International Shipping does

Al-Rashed International Shipping Co. (K.S.C.C.) is a privately held Kuwait-based shipping and logistics company founded in 1911 as part of the Al-Rashed Group. The company operates two core divisions: Shipping Services (Marine & Offshore Agency, Liner & NVOCC Agencies, and Break Bulk Liner Services) and Logistics Services (Air Freight, Sea Freight, Land Services, Project Logistics, and Clearing & Forwarding). It serves enterprise clients in Kuwait and the broader Gulf region — including import/export businesses, infrastructure and project cargo customers, and international shipping lines that require local port agency representation.

The company monetizes primarily through professional-services fees across port agency, freight forwarding (FCL, LCL, project, heavy-lift), customs clearance, and exclusive distribution of Diversey cleaning and hygiene products in Kuwait. Its go-to-market is sales-led and relationship-driven: a corporate website with a "Request a Quote" form supplements word-of-mouth referrals generated over a century of market presence. No proprietary technology platform, APIs, or digital products are disclosed; the operating model is built on operational expertise, carrier relationships, and regulatory know-how rather than technology differentiation.

Al-Rashed operates two subsidiaries: Al Rashed United (established 2003, providing full-service shipping and logistics in Iraq) and the Diversey Care distribution unit in Kuwait (40+ year exclusive distributor). Leadership comprises Chairman Bassim Al Rashed, CEO Ravi Varrier, and CFO Pradeep Menon. Headcount sits in the 251–500 range. The company has no disclosed private equity, venture capital, or institutional investment backing and operates as a family-rooted business within the Al-Rashed Group.

Name

Al-Rashed International Shipping

Legal name

Al-Rashed International Shipping Co. (K.S.C.C.)

Website

https://al-rashedgroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1911

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

Al-Rashed International Shipping is a Kuwait-based, privately held shipping and logistics company founded in 1911 offering port agency, freight forwarding (air/sea/land), customs clearance, and project logistics to enterprise clients in Kuwait and Iraq, plus exclusive Diversey product distribution.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Logistics Services

NAICS

Freight Transportation Arrangement (48851), Deep Sea Freight Transportation (483111), Specialized Freight Trucking (4842), Marine Cargo Handling (488320)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Deep Sea Foreign Transportation Of Freight (4412)

akta.pro primary industry

Customs Brokerage for Ocean Shipments (Import/Export Clearance) (TLACABAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Project & OOG/Breakbulk Ocean Forwarding (Out-of-Gauge, RoRo) (TLACABAH), Direct-to-Consignee (DTC) / Deconsolidation & Breakbulk Distribution (TLACALAE), Customs, Trade Compliance & Documentation for Project Cargo (TLAIAKAK), Trade Compliance & Ocean Regulatory Services (Sanctions/Export Controls) (TLACABAL)

Keywords

• Shipping agency services
• Freight forwarding
• Customs clearance
• Project logistics
• Port agency

Headquarters

HQ city

Kuwait

HQ country

Kuwait

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Port Agency Services: Fees earned as port agency for vessel husbanding services, representing international shipping lines and liner operators at Kuwaiti ports.
2. Freight Forwarding Services: Revenue from arranging and coordinating sea, air, and land freight for customers, including FCL, LCL, and project cargo handling.
3. Customs Clearance and Forwarding: Fees from customs brokerage and forwarding services for import/export cargo.
4. Diversey Products Distribution: Revenue from distributing Diversey cleaning and hygiene products in Kuwait, serving building care, hospitality, healthcare, food service, retail, and government sectors for over 40 years.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

Al-Rashed International Shipping Co. provides end-to-end shipping and logistics services in Kuwait, acting as port agent and local representative for international liner services and NVOCC operators, and offering sea, air, and land freight forwarding, customs clearance and forwarding, break bulk cargo handling, and specialized project logistics for heavy-lift and infrastructure cargo. The company also exclusively distributes Diversey cleaning and hygiene products across Kuwait and operates an Iraq-focused subsidiary (Al Rashed United) providing shipping, port agency, heavy transport, and logistics services since 2003.

Product overview

Al-Rashed International Shipping Co. is a Kuwait-based shipping and logistics company offering a comprehensive suite of services organized into two main divisions: Shipping Services (Marine & Offshore Agency, Liner & NVOCC Agencies, and Break Bulk Liner Services) and Logistics Services (Air Freight, Sea Freight, Land Services, Project Logistics, and Clearing & Forwarding). The company also provides port information services covering Shuwaikh Port, Shuaiba Port, Kuwait International Airport, and Umm Qasr Port in Iraq. Operating as part of the Al-Rashed Group established in 1911, the company manages two subsidiaries: Al Rashed United (shipping services in Iraq established 2003) and Diversey Products Distribution (exclusive distributor of Diversey Care cleaning products in Kuwait for over 40 years).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ARISCARE: Corporate social responsibility and community outreach program focusing on disaster relief and charitable activities.
• ARISCARE

Products and services

• Marine & Offshore Agency Services Port agency services providing local formalities compliance, government regulation adherence, and total husbanding services for vessels calling at Kuwaiti ports, for international shipping lines and liner operators.
• Liner & NVOCC Agencies Agency representation for regular liner services and NVOCC operators with a global footprint, providing shipping services to customers and meeting principal requirements.
• Break Bulk Liner Services Liner services for breakbulk cargo with fixed port calls, complementing tramp opportunities for cargo transportation for industrial and project customers.
• Air Freight Services Global air forwarding and charter services providing daily handling of urgent shipments through partnerships with international forwarders and carriers.
• Sea Freight Services Ocean freight services including direct and consolidation options to and from global destinations for both FCL (Full Container Load) and LCL (Less than Container Load) shipments, plus containerized and non-containerized cargo.
• Land Services Full truckload (FTL) shipping services for high-capacity, high-volume cargo transportation across the region, ensuring delivery on budget and on-time.
• Project Logistics Specialized logistics services for handling project cargo, including heavy lift equipment and complex cargo transportation from planning through delivery, with proven track record on well-known projects.
• Clearing and Forwarding Customs clearance and forwarding solutions leveraging industry knowledge and experience to provide best-in-class brokerage services to import/export clients.
• Al Rashed United (Iraq Shipping Services) Wholly-owned subsidiary established in 2003 providing shipping services in Iraq including liner agency, port agency, heavy transport, vessel feeding operations, breakbulk cargo, charter flights, air freight, public transport services for NVOCC, and logistics services.
• Diversey Products Distribution Exclusive distribution in Kuwait of Diversey Care cleaning and hygiene products, serving building care, hospitality, healthcare, food service, retail, and government customers with a wide range of cleaning products, equipment, and services.

Quantifiable outcome

• 37,800 tons of heavy cargo delivered to project site
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• TSH-JV (Joint Venture)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Al-Rashed International Shipping signed a freight forwarding contract for heavy lift equipment (onshore part plus coordination and door-to-door delivery services) in April 2017, working closely with CCA for offshore marine works contracted through TSH-JV.
• Al Rashed United Shipping Services Co. (Iraq)coreOthers · 1 January 2003Established in 2003, Al Rashed United is a subsidiary providing shipping agency, port agency, heavy transport, feeder vessel operations, break bulk cargo, charter flights, air freight, public transport services for NVOCC, and logistics services in Iraq. Played a major role in Iraq reconstruction.
• DiverseycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAl-Rashed International Shipping is the exclusive distributor of Diversey Care products in Kuwait, serving customers with a wide range of cleaning products for more than 40 years. Diversey is a global leader in hygiene and food safety solutions.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• DB Schenker: Global freight forwarder and logistics provider with land, air, and ocean freight services plus customs clearance. Overlaps Al-Rashed's full multi-modal freight forwarding and customs offerings.
• Hellmann Worldwide Logistics: Global logistics provider offering air freight, sea freight, road & rail, and contract logistics. Comparable as a full-service freight forwarder competing for the same enterprise import/export customers in the Gulf.
• Aramex: Middle East-headquartered logistics and courier company with freight forwarding, supply chain, and customs services. Regional incumbent operating across GCC with overlapping import/export logistics and customs capabilities.
• DHL Global Forwarding: World's largest freight forwarder with air, ocean, road, and rail forwarding plus customs services. Competes with Al-Rashed on ocean and air freight forwarding and customs clearance, particularly for multinational customers in Kuwait.
• Kuehne+Nagel: Top-tier global freight forwarder with strong Gulf presence offering sea, air, road, and contract logistics. Overlaps Al-Rashed on sea freight (FCL/LCL), air freight forwarding, and customs clearance for enterprise customers.

Direct peers

• Agility Logistics: Kuwait-headquartered global logistics provider offering freight forwarding, contract logistics, and customs services. Most direct comparable as another Kuwaiti-rooted logistics company with regional Gulf presence, similar B2B customer base, and overlapping customs/freight forwarding capabilities.
• GAC Group: GAC is a global shipping, logistics, and marine services provider with a major Gulf presence including Kuwait. It offers ship agency, freight forwarding, and project logistics directly overlapping Al-Rashed's marine agency, liner representation, and project cargo services.
• Yusuf Bin Ahmed Kanoo (Kanoo Shipping): One of the largest family-owned conglomerates in the Gulf, with shipping, freight forwarding, logistics, and travel divisions across Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, UAE, and other Gulf states. Highly comparable as a long-established Gulf shipping and logistics agent with similar service breadth.

Regional players

• Transworld Group: Pakistan-based shipping and logistics group with Gulf shipping agency and NVOCC operations. Comparable as an emerging regional shipping and forwarding group with liner agency representation and NVOCC services overlapping Al-Rashed's core business.
• Premier Logistics (Bahrain/Kuwait): Gulf-focused freight forwarder and project logistics provider operating in Kuwait and Bahrain. Comparable as a regional peer offering multi-modal freight forwarding and project cargo services in the same geographies.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/alrashedintlrelocation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/alrashedkuwait

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 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 Al-Rashed International Shipping