What BRS Shipbrokers does

BRS Shipbrokers, operating under the legal name Barry Rogliano Salles (Genève), is a privately held global shipbroking firm founded in 1856 in Marseille and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland. The firm operates 23 offices across major shipping hubs and is staffed by 501-1,000 employees representing 42+ nationalities, including 255+ brokers. Core services span shipbroking across chartering (wet and dry bulk, containers, offshore), sale and purchase of second-hand tonnage, new construction supervision, and ship valuation. Adjacent lines include Post Fixture Services (operational and claim handling support), Trade Compliance screening (sanctions, KYC), and Other Services such as bespoke market research, fleet studies, and valuations.

The firm generates revenue primarily through transaction-based brokerage commissions — typically a percentage of freight hire, vessel sale price, or newbuilding contract value — supplemented by fees from advisory, valuation, and post-fixture service work. Its client base spans four segments: shipowners, industrial manufacturers, traders, and shippers. The underlying analytical stack includes a dedicated Data Intelligence team that combines proprietary market data with broker expertise to produce the BRS Annual Review, monthly Dry Bulk and Tanker Reports, weekly newsletters, and client-tailored fleet studies. A 12-month Graduate Program, in its ninth year, supports internal talent development, and a multi-decade partnership with the CTA Association (since 2012) anchors industry-academic engagement.

Strategic positioning combines a 165+ year brand heritage with a globally distributed intermediary platform. Following an international transformation beginning in the 1990s, BRS shifted from its Mediterranean roots to a multi-continental operating model. The firm has invested in compliance and data analytics capabilities, suggesting an intent to broaden wallet share with existing clients beyond pure intermediation. As a private partnership-style firm, BRS does not publicly disclose revenue, ownership structure, or financial targets, and operates in a cyclical industry where deal volume is highly correlated with global freight rates, S&P activity, and newbuilding ordering.

Name

BRS Shipbrokers

Legal name

Barry Rogliano Salles (Genève)

Website

https://brsshipbrokers.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1856

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

BRS Shipbrokers is a Geneva-headquartered, 165-year-old global shipbroker operating from 23 offices with 255+ brokers. It provides chartering, sale and purchase, newbuilding, valuation, trade compliance, and data intelligence services to shipowners, traders, industrial manufacturers, and shippers worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Geneva

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Broking Services Commission: Fees calculated on the basis of an agreed percentage of the freight, hire, purchase price or any other such services contract. On voyage charters, fees are calculated as percentage of sums due for dead freight, deviation, waiting time, Turkish time and demurrage as well as on freight. On time charters, fees are due on the hire payable throughout its duration including any period of continuation or extension. Post Fixture Services and Other Services are subject to specific fee agreements.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

BRS Shipbrokers acts as an intermediary shipbroker for vessel transactions, including valuation, sale, purchase, construction, and charter contracts. The firm supports clients with post-fixture operational advice and supplementary services such as market research, vessel valuations, fleet structure studies, and feasibility analyses. It also publishes industry intelligence including an Annual Review and monthly/weekly market reports on dry bulk and tanker segments.

Product overview

BRS Shipbrokers operates as a shipbroker established in 1856, offering a unified suite of brokerage and advisory services for the maritime industry. The core offering consists of Broking Services for vessel transactions (valuation, sale, purchase, construction, charter), supported by Post Fixture Services and supplementary Other Services (market research, analyses, valuations). The company also publishes a comprehensive set of market intelligence publications including the Annual Review, monthly Dry Bulk and Tanker Reports, and weekly newsletters. Additional services include a Graduate Program for training new shipbrokers, Data Intelligence for analytics-driven insights, and Trade Compliance for sanctions and KYC screening.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Broking Services

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered minor.

• CTA AssociationminorOthers · 1 January 2012CTA Association brings together graduates from the Master's and Diploma programs in Commodity Trading at the University of Geneva. The association comprises over 1,000 alumni and is actively followed by an international network of professionals across the globe. BRS maintains a connection through company origins and industry professionals.
• Mercy ShipsminorOthersBRS partners with Mercy Ships, a charitable organization that provides more than 2,000 free surgical interventions and 8,000 dental treatments annually to those without access in developing countries. BRS supports this initiative as part of its community engagement and charitable giving program.
• World Bicycle ReliefminorOthersBRS partners with World Bicycle Relief, an organization that provides bicycles to people in rural communities to help them access education, markets, health facilities and vital services. The partnership supports community development in underserved regions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Clarkson PLC (Clarksons): The world's largest shipbroker and shipping services group, publicly listed on the London Stock Exchange. Directly comparable in core chartering, sale and purchase, and research offerings, with a similar global office footprint.
• Simpson Spence Young (SSY): Major global shipbroker offering chartering, sale and purchase, and research services across dry bulk, tankers, and specialized segments. Direct competitor with comparable global office network and customer segments.
• Arrow Shipbroking: Independent shipbroker offering chartering, sale and purchase, and research across dry bulk, tankers, and specialized segments. Directly comparable in offering and customer segments.
• Fearnleys: Norwegian-headquartered shipbroker with strong offshore and tanker exposure, offering chartering, sale and purchase, and ship finance services. Directly comparable in core brokerage activities and customer base.
• Howe Robinson Partners: Independent global shipbroker with chartering, sale and purchase, and research services across major shipping segments. Comparable in size, business model, and customer base.
• Braemar ACM: Publicly listed shipbroker and shipping services group providing chartering, sale and purchase, and research across dry cargo, tankers, and offshore. Closely comparable business model and customer segments to BRS.
• Banchero Costa & Co: Independent shipbroker with strong tanker and dry bulk coverage, offering chartering, sale and purchase, and research services. Comparable in business model and customer segments.
• Poten & Partners: Independent shipbroker and shipping consultancy specializing in tankers, LNG, and specialized vessel markets. Comparable in transaction-based brokerage model and client types.

Emerging players

• Veson Nautical: SaaS platform providing voyage estimation, freight management, and market intelligence to shipowners and charterers. Increasingly competes with traditional brokers by digitizing workflows that historically required manual broker intermediation.
• Xeneta: Digital freight rate benchmarking and analytics platform serving shippers, forwarders, and carriers. Represents the platform-led approach to shipping market intelligence that competes with BRS's data publications and brokerage value proposition.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brsshipbrokers

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 BRS Shipbrokers