Trust Shipping

What Trust Shipping does

Trust Shipping (officially Trusted Shipping Limited) is a Hong Kong-incorporated maritime services company founded on October 7, 2009, specializing as a third-party administrator of Drug & Alcohol (D&A) testing for seafarers worldwide. The company screens donors using urine panels (including a 13-panel OCIMF-compliant kit and a 9-panel saliva kit), hair-sample testing for 10-90 day drug use history, and breath alcohol analysis (both electronic and disposable devices meeting US DOT, FDA, USCG, and CE standards), with analysis routed through accredited laboratories including Pathlab (Hong Kong), CRL (USA), Apollo Health (India), and its in-house Kami Labs (India). As of the latest data, Trust Shipping has screened over 300,000 seafarers, conducted 650+ vessel/site inspections, and serves 300+ clients across the maritime industry.

The company monetizes through multiple streams: per-test professional services for D&A and benzene testing, hardware sales of testing kits and water testing equipment, ship chandling operations in Mumbai (provisions, stores, medical supplies) via associate Kami Marine & Trade Central, flag state inspection fees under authorizations from six administrations (Liberia, Luxembourg, Malta, Sierra Leone, Cambodia, Togolese), Liberian vessel registry representation, Cash-to-Master transaction fees, and legal/arbitration/ombudsman services for maritime disputes. Distribution combines direct field sales with a worldwide network of part-time representatives at 800+ ports, regional representation partnerships (Alphatech1 in Singapore), and a 15-person operational team across Hong Kong and Mumbai.

Trust Shipping's go-to-market is relationship-driven and compliance-led, targeting vessel owners, vessel managers, charterers, P&I clubs, classification societies, government agencies, and flag state administrations. Capital-light services dominate, though the group has expanded into adjacent verticals — vessel ownership (chemical tanker M.T. Ruby Express 1, dredger Alpha 4), medical distribution (2022), and seafarer recruitment via RPSL license (2025) — while financing growth through a 2020 private company bond offering (7.2% returns) rather than equity rounds. The company has no disclosed AI/ML capabilities and operates as a domain-specialized, credentials-driven services business rather than a technology platform.

Name

Trust Shipping

Legal name

Trusted Shipping Limited

Website

https://trustshipping.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Trust Shipping (Trusted Shipping Limited) is a Hong Kong-incorporated maritime services company founded in 2009 that acts as a third-party administrator for seafarer drug and alcohol testing, vessel inspections, ship chandling, and flag state representation across 800+ ports worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Compliance Testing Services

NAICS

Support Activities for Water Transportation (4883), Other Support Activities for Water Transportation (48839)

SIC

Services-Testing Laboratories (8734), Services-Commercial Physical & Biological Research (8731)

akta.pro primary industry

Regulatory & Sanctions Compliance Screening for Maritime Operations (Trade Controls, AML) (TLAHANAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Vessel Vetting & Due Diligence Services (SIRE/CDI, Terminal Vetting) (TLAHANAE), Marine Surveying, Inspection & Claims (EDAOANAO), Medical Assistance & Ship-to-Shore Healthcare Coordination (TLAHAJAG)

Keywords

• Maritime drug testing
• Seafarer health screening
• Ship chandling services
• Vessel inspection services
• Maritime compliance testing

Headquarters

HQ city

Causeway Bay

HQ country

Hong Kong SAR China

HQ region

Asia

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Drug & Alcohol Testing Services: Third-party administrator services for seafarer drug and alcohol testing worldwide. Includes screening of donors, hair sample testing, and coordination with accredited laboratories. Over 300,000+ seafarers screened through the program.
2. Benzene and Substance Testing: Benzene exposure testing through urine sample analysis as part of routine occupational health testing. Also includes contraband testing using hair samples.
3. Ship Chandling Services: Authorized ship chandlers in Mumbai, India providing vessel provisions, cabin stores, engine stores, deck stores, medical stores, safety equipment, bridge publications. Offers credit terms and no cash handling onboard.
4. Medicine Supply: Medical supplies and chest certification for ships in compliance with IMGS standards and flag state administration requirements. Includes on board medical locker inspection by registered pharmacist.
5. Cash to Master (CTM) Services: Cash transfers on behalf of clients for delivering Cash to Master to vessels calling ports in Hong Kong at competitive rates.
6. Vessel & Industry Inspection Services: Inspection services including bunker survey, condition monitoring, damage assessment, flag state representation, pre-vetting for tankers and dry bulk vessels, pre-sale and purchase inspection.
7. Drug Testing Products: Sale of drug testing kits including breath alcohol analysers, saliva drug test kits, urine test dip cards, and marine potable water test kits.
8. Legal and Dispute Resolution Services: Ombudsman service, international arbitration, mediation, and legal consultancy for maritime industry disputes.
9. Vessel Registry Services: Business Development Representative services for Liberian Registry covering Hong Kong, Thailand, and India. Assists with change of registry.
10. Water Testing and Analysis: Potable drinking water testing and sewage effluent water testing for ships in compliance with Marpol 73/78 and related resolutions.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Trust Shipping operates as a specialized third-party administrator for drug and alcohol (D&A) testing of seafarers worldwide, conducting urine, saliva, hair, and breath analysis with results from accredited laboratories. Beyond D&A testing, the company provides ship chandling, vessel and industry inspections (bunker surveys, pre-vetting, condition monitoring), flag state representation, benzene exposure testing, potable/sewage water analysis, medicine supply with medical chest certification, Cash to Master services, and maritime legal consultancy including ombudsman, arbitration, and mediation services.

Product overview

Trust Shipping operates as a maritime services company offering a portfolio of drug and alcohol testing products for the seafaring industry, complemented by water testing equipment and maritime operational services. The core product line consists of breath alcohol analysers (both electronic and disposable variants), multi-panel drug testing kits (urine and saliva-based), and water quality test kits. These testing products range from single-use disposable devices to reusable electronic analysers, and from single-analyte tests to 13-panel comprehensive drug screening kits. The testing kits include the 13-Panel Drug Testing Kit, 9-Panel Saliva Alcohol Drug Test Kit, Breath Alco Analyser, Disposable Breath Alco Analyser, Marine Potable Water Test Kit, Saliva Alcohol Screening Test, and Synthetic Marijuana Instant Urine Test Dip Card. All products are specifically tailored for maritime compliance with OCIMF guidelines, US DOT/CFR requirements, and USCG approvals.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Drug & Alcohol Testing Services
• Vessel & Industry Inspection Services
• Ship Chandling Services
• Medicine Supply and Medical Chest Certification
• Benzene Exposure Testing
• Potable and Sewage Water Collection & Analysis
• Cash to Master (CTM) Services
• Legal Consultancy, Ombudsman, Arbitration and Mediation Services
• Vessel Registry Service for Liberia Flag
• Breath Alco Analyser (Electronic)
• 13-Panel Drug Testing Kit
• 9-Panel Saliva Alcohol Drug Test Kit
• Disposable Breath Alco Analyser
• Marine Potable Water Test Kit
• Saliva Alcohol Screening Test
• Synthetic Marijuana Instant Urine Test Dip Card

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 300,000 seafarers screened for drug and alcohol substance abuse
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and major.

• Cambodia, Malta, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Togolese Flag StatescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024Currently approved to provide flag state inspection services for Cambodia, Malta, Liberia, Sierra Leone, and Togolese flag administrations. Conducts annual safety inspections, ISM, ISPS, MLC audits, and accident investigations.
• Liberian AdministrationflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018Appointed by Liberian Administration as Business Development Representative for Hong Kong, Thailand, and India. Assists vessels with change of registry to Liberian flag, the world's second largest registry.
• Luxembourg Flag AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Appointed as flag state inspectors to represent Luxembourg flag administration for maritime safety inspections.
• Dromon Bureau of Shipping (DBS)majorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Appointed by Dromon Bureau of Shipping (DBS) for representation services. DBS is a classification society.
• Kami Labs Pvt LtdcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Associate company incorporated in India for medical diagnostic testing of seafarers in the field of Drug and Alcohol. Provides in-house testing capabilities alongside external laboratory partnerships.
• Sierra Leone Flag AdministrationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2016Appointed as flag state inspectors by Sierra Leone flag administration. Provides annual safety inspections, ISM, ISPS, and MLC audits, and accident investigation services.
• Alphatech1 Pte LtdmajorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2013Entered into agreement with Alphatech1 Pte Ltd, Singapore for representation services. Alphatech1 represents Trust Shipping in the Singapore region.
• GMB ClassmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2013Kami Marine & Trade Central Pvt Ltd (associate company) appointed by GMB Class, South Korea for representation services.
• Apollo Health and Lifestyle LimitedmajorTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2012Entered into agreement with Apollo Health and Lifestyle Limited, India for D&A Testing services. Apollo provides testing facility services for the drug and alcohol testing program.
• CRL (Clinical Reference Laboratory)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2011Entered into agreement with CRL, USA for D&A Testing. CRL is a certified laboratory providing drug testing analysis services as part of Trust Shipping's testing program.
• ICS ClasscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Appointed by ICS Class for representation services. ICS Class is a classification society providing statutory and class surveys.
• Pathlab Medical Laboratories LtdcoreTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2009Entered into agreement with Pathlab Medical Laboratories Ltd, Hong Kong for D&A Testing services when Trust Shipping was incorporated in 2009. Pathlab provides laboratory analysis for the drug and alcohol testing program.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• SGS: World's largest testing, inspection and certification company with maritime services including vessel surveys, pre-vetting, and cargo inspection. Comparable as a global TIC incumbent providing overlapping vessel inspection and laboratory services to shipowners and charterers.
• DNV (Maritime): Leading maritime classification society offering vessel surveys, statutory inspections, and increasingly HSE/compliance services. Comparable because it provides the same flag-state inspection, ISM/ISPS audits and vessel vetting that Trust Shipping performs, albeit with much greater scale and broader scope.
• Wilhelmsen Ship Management: Global maritime services group offering ship management, crewing, ship supply (via Wilh. Wilhelmsen), and port services. Comparable as a broader maritime services incumbent where Trust Shipping competes in chandling, vessel inspection, and increasingly seafarer recruitment.
• Bureau Veritas: Global testing, inspection and certification (TIC) company with a substantial Marine & Offshore division offering vessel surveys, classification, and HSE services. Comparable because it competes for vessel inspection and flag-state work that Trust Shipping performs, though at much larger scale and as part of a broader TIC portfolio.
• Intertek: Global TIC company with a maritime and cargo services division providing vessel condition surveys, bunkering quality analysis, and commodity inspection. Comparable for its maritime testing/inspection overlap and accredited laboratory network — analogous to Trust Shipping's CRL/Apollo/Pathlab lab relationships.

Direct peers

• RightShip: Maritime risk management and inspection company providing vessel vetting, pre-purchase inspections, and ESG/sustainability assessments to charterers and shipowners. Directly comparable because it serves the same vessel inspection, vetting and due diligence buyer (charterers/owners) with overlapping inspection product set.
• Wrist Ship Supply: World's largest ship chandler providing provisions, cabin/engine/deck stores, medical supplies and safety equipment to vessels at ports worldwide. Directly comparable to Trust Shipping's Mumbai ship chandling business, though Wrist operates at much greater scale and global reach.

Emerging players

• Maritec: Specialized marine fuel testing and bunker quality services lab serving shipping companies worldwide. Comparable as a niche maritime analytical testing provider with similar service model — accredited laboratory analysis commissioned on behalf of shipowners and managers — though narrower in scope (fuel-focused).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/Trusted.Shipping.Limited
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/trust-shipping

Compliance7 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Subsidiaries4 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 Trust Shipping