BusinessAugust 17, 2026
shipbroker
SHIP-broh-ker
Definition
A professional who acts as an intermediary between shipowners and those who need to transport cargo, facilitating the negotiation of shipping rates and contracts.
Etymology
The word is a compound of 'ship' and 'broker,' the latter deriving from the Old French 'brokier,' meaning a wine merchant or someone who breaks or taps a cask to retail wine.
In the news
In the article, a researcher from a shipbroker firm provides expert analysis on how geopolitical tensions and local disputes are giving smaller nations outsized control over global maritime trade routes.
War and climate change drive surge in cost of shipping through global chokepoints
Read the full article ↗Financial Times