Our Staff

1. What is your job?

I’m mainly involved in 4 overlapping jobs, which are the following.

a)Market Research

Researching how the market moves and where we stand is an essential part of our business. I read industrial news and market reports every morning, and consider our next business moves.

b)Developing projects

When the brokers introduce a project to us, we’ll need to weigh up the economics of it. Our core business is to own vessels, and charter them out to their users. When we develop a new project, we check it from various viewpoints, such as vessels’ price, interest costs, maintenance costs, and so on, and negotiate terms and conditions of the projects with both sellers and charterers. During this process, we’re in continuous contact with financiers and ship managers.

c)Chartering

When new vessels join our fleet or when vessels are redelivered from clients, we look for potential charterers, negotiate terms and contract with them, and make contracts.

d)Sales and Purchases

When a vessel is safely redelivered from a charterer, we consider whether to put the vessel up for its next charter, or we sell to a third party. In the case of sales, we invite potential purchasers for onboard inspections, negotiate terms and conditions, and prepare the necessary documents, all so that the vessel is ready for sale and delivery. We sometimes purchase vessels from other ship owners as well.

2. What do you feel that you have improved after joining the company?

Before joining the company, I worked in ship building and repairing. In those days, I focussed on qualities and technologies which are applied to vessels, though I could rarely imagine how such vessels actually load, carry, and discharge their cargoes. It has been about 4 years since I joined the company, and for the first two years here, my focus was not only business and chartering, but also ship management. I gradually realized how materials and products which are essential for our daily lives are carried, and the real issues involved in the day-to-day operations of vessels. I bear all of this in mind and try to keep the vessels in good order and maintain the highest levels of qualities and services possible. I think since I joined the company, having realized our jobs contribute to individual lives worldwide, I’ve become more motivated!

3. Strategy for the future

Recently, doing business in line with SDGs and ESG is becoming essential. As a vessel’s lifespan exceeds 20 years, my daily work is focussed on developing our fleet in harmony with the coming green regulations. On a more personal note, while we currently use brokers to support us with our international dealings, I’d like to become a reliable person whom our clients can get in touch with frankly and directly in the future. I am hoping that working hard on my English will pay off!

1. What is your job?

The main tasks for the Owner’s Operation PIC are preventing critical situations on our vessels and handling any issues as and when they arise. From the time the contract is concluded between the two parties, we(as “Owners”) usually accept the decisions made by our customers (“Charterers”) or their operators, on various points such as voyage, calling ports, routes, cargo selections and fuel oil supplies.
In our section of the department, we confirm whether the agreed operations fall in line with the contract, while we also discuss and negotiate the items not written into the contract by consulting with ship managers and other concerned parties. On the one hand, we monitor any potential incidents which could cause serious issues like an off-hire matter or a loss, looking over incident reports on other vessels and, in the event of spotting a hazard or other serious defect, alerting the ship crew and their managers. On the other hand, should a problem occur, we strive for highly efficient problem-solving in our ship management department by liaising with ship managers and insurance companies for advice accordingly.

2. What do you feel that you have improved after joining the company?

After working at a shipping operator company and a shipping broker company, I joined Abo Shoten in the summer of 2019 to pursue my career in the same industry but from a different perspective as an Operation PIC of a ship owner. It’s been just 1 year and 4 months now, and I’m still learning a lot through my daily work including some “harsh lessons learnt”, I must confess!
Apart from that, as a result of settling into my role, my health condition feels more under control. I joined the company during a hectic period of CP renewals and the commencement of our new chartering business. I used to feel under the weather quite often, especially for the initial months, due to the circumstances of adapting to a new field and joining at a very busy time for the company, feeling like I was thrown straight into the deep end.
Making use of the company’s flexi-time system and early medical consultation benefit has helped to improve my work-life balance, giving me the chance to improve my sleeping habits and stay fit and healthy. This has made me feel like a truly valued member of the team, which in turn has given me the space to reflect on how I can contribute to the team.

3. Strategy for the future

As I mentioned earlier, our duties are preventing our vessels from problems and taking care of them if they happen. That’s why it is essential to have a broad experience and knowledge of the characteristics of cargo and laws in order to be able to make the right decision swiftly in case of emergency. I will continue to seek deeper knowledge of safe and effective operation to meet the needs of our customers and to provide complete shore-based support to our ship crew.

1. What is your job?

I'm in charge of purchasing. Based on a request from a ship (for consumable items or parts to use onboard), I request a quotation to a supplier, place an order and arrange the supplies to be delivered to the vessel. It may sound simple and straightforward, but I have to do many things behind the scenes. I send replies to vessels, confirm with the management company and liaise with the shipping agent to ensure a smooth delivery. There is so much work that goes into such a simple word as "request." Moreover, there are various destinations for our ocean-going vessels. According to the vessel’s schedule, we arrange the requested items through a local supplier at a convenient port, whereas we book an air or ocean freight through a forwarder when some specific items are sourced by a Japanese manufacturer. All e-mail communication with the ship crew is done in English, as they are all foreign seafarers.

2. What do you feel that you have improved after joining the company?

I would say my English ability continues to grow, as I email in English every day and communicate directly with foreigners. When I started to work at Abo Shoten, I used to feel that the real Business English was very different from what I learned at school. Now I have less trouble keeping up over the phone and feel confident in keeping a conversation flowing in English.

3. Strategy for the future

I want to expand my knowledge of purchasing, such as the uses of ship parts. Also, I still have a long way to go studying English. I will continue to improve my business writing skills, telephone manners and interpersonal skills.