CSO Shipbrokers

What CSO Shipbrokers does

CSO Shipbrokers (formerly Colebrook Offshore, rebranded January 2024) is a London-based boutique shipbroking and marine consultancy founded in May 2016 by Tony Colebrook and Sam Stout. The firm operates within the CSO Marine Group alongside sister companies Offshore Operations Limited and CSO Engineering, with a secondary office in Aberdeen, UK. It specializes exclusively in the offshore renewables and offshore energy sectors, focusing on vessel procurement for offshore wind installation, operation and maintenance.

The company's core offering comprises three integrated service lines: vessel chartering brokerage (covering CTV, OSV, Multicat, RHIB, tug and flat-top barge vessels on spot, term and bareboat arrangements), vessel sale and purchase brokerage (new-build, second-hand, finance and sale-leaseback), and a portfolio of five subscription market intelligence reports (Global CTV Availability, Walk to Work & CSOV/SOV, Survey Vessel, Jack Up Barge and Flat Top Cargo Barge) covering the North Sea, Baltic, Taiwan and US markets. The firm states it concludes more than 500 fixtures annually across Taiwan, Korea, UK, USA, Europe and the Baltic Sea.

Revenue is generated through two primary mechanisms: transaction-based commissions on chartering and S&P deals, and recurring annual subscriptions to its market intelligence reports. Distribution is sales-led, with senior brokers managing enterprise client relationships directly and the subscription portal functioning as both a product channel and a lead-generation tool. The stated customer base spans offshore wind developers, EPIC contractors, and transport and installation firms, with named reference clients including CPower and Global Marine Group.

Name

CSO Shipbrokers

Legal name

CSO Shipbrokers

Website

https://csobrokers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2016

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

CSO Shipbrokers is a London-based boutique shipbroker and marine consultancy specializing in offshore renewables and energy, arranging vessel chartering, sale and purchase transactions, and recurring market intelligence reports for offshore wind developers, EPIC contractors and T&I firms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Maritime Brokerage Services

NAICS

Marine Cargo Handling (488320)

SIC

Arrangement Of Transportation Of Freight & Cargo (4731), Water Transportation (4400)

akta.pro industry

PRIMARYIMAJADAG

Pilot Boats & Crew Transfer/Service Craft (Pilotage, CTV-style workboats)

Industrials, Manufacturing & Construction/Marine & Shipbuilding/Small Craft & Workboat Building (Tugs, Ferries, Patrol, Fishing)

SECONDARYTLACABAF

Ocean Export Forwarding (Booking/VGM/SI/BL)

Transportation & Logistics/Freight Forwarding & Customs Brokerage/Ocean Freight Forwarding (FCL/LCL)

SECONDARYFSAKADAH

Marine & Boat Finance

Financial & Insurance/Lending & Consumer Finance/Auto Lending & Vehicle Finance

Keywords

• Vessel chartering brokerage
• Offshore shipbroking services
• Vessel sale purchase
• Maritime market intelligence
• Offshore wind logistics

Headquarters

HQ city

London

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Brokerage Commissions (Vessel Chartering): Commission-based revenue from arranging vessel chartering transactions. Team concluded 500+ fixtures per year across global markets. Services span spot, long term, and bareboat charter arrangements for CTV, OSV, Multicat, RHIB, tug and flat-top barge vessel types.
2. Sale and Purchase Brokerage: Commission revenue from vessel sale and purchase transactions covering both new-build/yard sales and second-hand units. Services include sourcing sellers/buyers, finance assistance, and sale-leaseback transactions.
3. Market Intelligence Subscriptions: Subscription-based access to specialized market reports covering CTV availability, SOV/W2W, survey vessels, jack up barges, and flat top cargo barges. Registration-based access with subscription tiers for different report packages.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

CSO Shipbrokers is a vessel chartering, sale and purchase, and market intelligence brokerage that arranges offshore vessel transactions and publishes proprietary market reports. The firm brokers CTV, OSV, Multicat, RHIB, tug and flat-top barge chartering deals and second-hand/new-build vessel sales, while running five recurring market intelligence subscriptions covering CTV, W2W/CSOV/SOV, survey vessels, jack-up barges and flat-top cargo barges across the North Sea, Baltic, Taiwan and US markets.

Product overview

CSO Shipbrokers is a vessel chartering, sale and purchase, and market intelligence brokerage specializing in the renewables and offshore energy sectors. The company operates as a single integrated offering rather than a platform-with-modules architecture. Its core services are Vessel Chartering (covering CTV, Multicat, OSV, RHIB, and tug vessels), Vessel Sale & Purchase (new builds and second-hand units), and Market Intelligence & Advisory Services. The market intelligence function produces five distinct subscription-based reports: Global CTV Availability Report, Walk to Work & CSOV/SOV Report, Jack Up Barge Report, North Sea & Baltic Survey Vessel Availability Report, and Flat Top Cargo Barge Report. These reports provide vessel availability data, market rates, and forecasting to clients in the offshore wind and energy sectors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Vessel Chartering Integrated chartering solutions supporting strategy, market approach, contracting, and operational support. Covers CTV, Multicat, OSV, RHIB, and tug vessels for spot, long term, or bareboat charter arrangements, delivered to charterers in offshore renewables, offshore construction, and EPIC contractor markets.
• Vessel Sale & Purchase Global sale and purchase brokerage covering new build/yard sales and second-hand units, with assistance on finance, vessel management, and sale-and-leaseback transactions, supporting vessel owners, charterers, and finance/valuation agencies.
• Market Intelligence and Advisory Services Industry-leading global market forecasting and vessel availability data provided to charterers, vessel owners, and finance and valuation agencies for purchase and business acquisition activities.
• Global CTV Availability Report Fortnightly subscription report covering Crew Transfer Vessel (CTV) availability across US, North Sea/Baltic, and Taiwan offshore renewables markets, including average availability, market rates, and key vessel insights for charterers and owners.
• Walk to Work & CSOV/SOV Report Monthly subscription report providing vessel availability, market overview, latest fixtures, news, and vessel daily rates for Walk to Work (W2W) and term CSOV/SOV markets in the North Sea.
• Jack Up Barge Report Monthly subscription report on Jack Up Barge availability for work in the North Sea, encompassing average availability data collated from vessel requirements.
• North Sea & Baltic Survey Vessel Availability Report Monthly subscription report on work schedules of survey vessels (DP and Non-DP) operating in the North Sea and Baltic, including key specifications, availability tracking, and historic data.
• Flat Top Cargo Barge Report Monthly subscription report on Flat Top Barges available for work in the North Sea and Baltic Sea, covering average availability data.

Quantifiable outcome

• 500+ fixtures concluded per year across global markets

Named customers2 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

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Colebrook Offshore (Rebrand)coreOthers · 16 January 2024Colebrook Offshore rebranded to CSO Shipbrokers in January 2024 as part of a strategic repositioning within the CSO Marine Group. The rebrand reflects the company's evolution from its origins to become a foremost vessel procurement specialist in offshore renewables.
• Offshore OperationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSister company within CSO Marine Group providing turnkey vessel build, valuation and inspection packages. CSO Shipbrokers collaborates with Offshore Operations for operational support in vessel chartering and to provide comprehensive vessel solutions to clients. The companies work together to support clients throughout the vessel lifetime.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• BRS Group (BRS): BRS is a French-headquartered shipbroker with a strong offshore and renewables practice offering chartering, S&P, and research. Comparable to CSO across the same vessel classes and offshore wind client base.
• Braemar ACM (Braemar): Braemar's ACM division is a specialist offshore and renewables shipbroker covering chartering, S&P, and market research. Closest direct competitor to CSO in offshore wind vessel procurement, with similar product mix and client base.
• RS Platou (RS Platou Energy): RS Platou is a Norwegian offshore shipbroking firm with offshore wind, OSV, and rig expertise. Directly comparable to CSO as an offshore-focused brokerage serving similar chartering and S&P clients.
• Howe Robinson Partners: Howe Robinson is a London-based shipbroker covering offshore, tankers, and dry cargo with an offshore renewables practice. Comparable mid-sized boutique competing with CSO for offshore chartering mandates.
• Fearnleys: Fearnleys is a Norwegian shipbroker with a strong offshore vessel desk covering CTV, OSV, and SOV chartering plus S&P. Highly comparable to CSO as an offshore-focused broker with similar offshore renewables expertise.
• Simpson Spence Young (SSY): SSY is a global shipbroker with offshore and towage desks that compete directly with CSO in offshore vessel chartering and S&P. Comparable mid-sized peer with a similar mix of chartering and project advisory work.

Broad incumbents

• Maersk Broker: Maersk Broker is a global shipbroker where CSO's MD Sam Stout began his career. Overlaps with CSO in offshore chartering and S&P, with a much larger global desk and corporate backing.
• Clarkson PLC: Clarksons is the world's largest shipbroker and integrated maritime services provider with a deep offshore and renewables desk. Comparable to CSO as a shipbroking intermediary serving offshore chartering and S&P, but at vastly greater scale and breadth.

Emerging players

• Westshore Shipbrokers: Westshore is a Nordic offshore shipbroker with CTV, SOV, and OSV expertise. Comparable boutique peer to CSO focused on European offshore wind chartering and S&P.
• Affinesia / Affinity Shipbrokers: Affinity is a smaller offshore-focused shipbroking boutique serving wind and O&G clients. Comparable peer to CSO at similar scale, focused on offshore wind vessel procurement.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cso-shipbrokers

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 CSO Shipbrokers