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

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