IFCHOR GALBRAITHS (IG) has opened a new US Flag desk in Houston focused on tanker spot fixtures and projects.
The team is led by Ryan Jurewicz, with broking and operational support from Greg Kurantowicz, Peyton Hutchens and Mike Jurewicz, all previously of Braemar Shipping.
Announcing the new team, IG co-CEO Bjorn Andersen said:
“We are delighted that a team with such a significant level of US tanker expertise has chosen to join IG to service a fast-revitalizing US fleet. IG has decades of tanker experience across the crude, clean and chemical markets. We are confident that bipartisan support by US legislators for more US-built, US-owned and US-crewed vessels means that international shipping will be more US flavored than before.”
Ryan Jurewicz, newly appointed IG Director US Flag added:
“Coming to IG is an exciting move for me and the team. Building on the IG platform of deep relationships and multi-disciplinary expertise coupled with a reputation for an integrity-led approach to business, we are confident that we can add value to clients seeking hands-on US tanker trade know-how.”
Last week’s confirmation of a 10-tanker order at Hanwha Philly Shipyard, the largest such order in years for a US yard, underlines the growth potential not only for more Jones Act fleet vessels, but also the opportunities which could be unlocked by the proposed SHIPS for America Act legislation. This legislation will be setting the ambitious target of adding 250 US-built, flagged, and crewed vessels to the commercial fleet within the next decade through the Strategic Commercial Fleet Program, with a particular focus on tankers.
IG’s tanker division comprises a team based in London, Houston, Bergen, Geneva, Dubai, Singapore and New Delhi which can support all facets of tanker employment from spot fixtures to long terms contracts of affreightment and fleet-size time-charter projects. This is further supported by IG’s Sale & Purchase and Finance divisions which are increasingly delivering combination deals, marrying time charter and asset acquisition, or asset investment with underlying finance.