Available courses

Shipping Business

Lecturer: Mr. Alexis Morley MICS


There are hundreds of roles in the shipping industry and they all fit into the whole like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. This course describes in detail the vertical and horizontal integration of business, and compares the roles of the shipowner, the charterer, the shipbroker, the agent and the duties of back-office staff. It explains the specifics of charter parties and the various ways in which ships are employed, including the cargoes they carry, as well as the buying and selling of ships.


Port Agency

Lecturer: Ms. Clodagh O'Reilly FICS


In an industry as international as shipping, it is impossible for a ship operator to have offices in every port where its ships might call. Instead, ship operators rely on a network of port agents to act as their eyes and ears to ensure the safe and secure running of their ships. As the representative of the ship, the port agent helps keep global trade moving and profits flowing. This course examines in detail this critical front-line role. From the day-to-day duties expected of a port agent and the legal background to the role, to the mass of documentation needed and relationships with principals, Port Agency guides students through this fascinating aspect of the shipping industry.


Economics of Sea Transport & International Trade

Lecturers: Mr. Matthew Pavitt MICS & Mr. Glenn Murphy FICS


This course describes the economic and commercial issues involved in the chartering, ownership and management of oceangoing ships. Starting with a clear explanation of the supply and demand for shipping, the course evolves to examine the wider shipping industry – including tankers, dry cargo, the liner trade and the sale and purchase of ships – and describes the factors within world trade which contribute to the up and down cycles that affect the shipping industry. The management of vessel operations as well as the information that shipbrokers need in order to operate within the industry are covered.