Clarkson plc
A United Kingdom-based maritime services group best known for global shipbroking.
Last updated August 26, 2026
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Overview
Clarkson plc, commonly known as Clarksons, is a London-headquartered maritime services group whose principal business is shipbroking. The company serves shipowners, charterers, commodity producers, traders, financial institutions, governments and other participants in the global shipping and offshore markets. Its activities extend beyond the negotiation of vessel transactions and charter contracts to include maritime finance, port services, technology and specialist market research. The business began in London in 1852 when Horace Anderton Clarkson entered into partnership with Leon Benham. In its early years it worked with sailing ships, but the development of steam navigation led the company into steamship chartering during the 1860s. Clarksons became a shipowner in 1872 after acquiring three schooners. A major turning point came in 1929, when Esso appointed the company as its exclusive shipbroker, helping establish Clarksons as the world's largest tanker broker at that time. International expansion began with the opening of a New York office in 1954. Offices were subsequently established in France, Australia and Germany, followed by operations in South Africa and Greece during the 1960s. The group expanded more extensively into Asia in the 1990s through companies in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. This international network allowed it to participate in ship sales, purchases, chartering and related advisory work across major maritime centres. Carron Greig was an important figure in the modern development of the group. He became joint managing director in 1962, chaired the shipbroking division from 1972 to 1985, and later chaired the wider group until his retirement in 1993. He is credited with broadening the company's international presence and strengthening relationships with major energy and commodity companies, including Esso. During the 1970s he also resisted attempted challenges from Russian and English corporate raiders. The group separated several diversified assets into Shipping Industrial Holdings in 1974, helping sharpen its focus on its core maritime activities. In the twenty-first century, Clarkson expanded through leadership changes and acquisitions. Richard Fulford-Smith became chief executive in 2004 and was associated with the company's emergence as a leading sale-and-purchase shipbroker. He left the board in 2008 after litigation claims connected with Russia emerged. Andi Case became chief executive in 2008 and continued in that role according to the cited reference material. The company acquired Gibb Tools, a North Sea oil-engineering tools supplier, in 2013 for £12.7 million, and bought Norwegian shipbroking and investment-banking group RS Platou AS in 2015. Clarksons' operations are organized around broking, financial services, support services and research. Clarkson Research Services collects, validates, analyzes and manages information on merchant shipping and offshore markets. The group also provides maritime technology and port-related services. Its distinctive positioning is based on a combination of long operating history, specialist shipping knowledge, international coverage, market data and relationships across vessel owners, cargo interests and maritime finance. The company remains active and publicly listed, with London as its headquarters.
History
Clarkson plc traces its origins to London in 1852, when Horace Anderton Clarkson formed a partnership with Leon Benham. The business initially operated in an era dominated by sailing vessels. During the 1860s it moved into chartering steamships, reflecting the wider transition in commercial shipping technology. In 1872 the company entered shipowning through the purchase of three schooners. The company developed a particularly strong position in tanker brokerage. In 1929 Esso appointed Clarksons as its exclusive shipbroker, an arrangement that helped the company become the world's largest tanker broker. The business later built an international office network. Its first overseas office opened in New York in 1954, followed by offices in France, Australia and Germany. During the 1960s it expanded into South Africa and Greece, while broader Far Eastern expansion took place in the 1990s through operations in Hong Kong, Shanghai and Singapore. Carron Greig played a major role in the group's twentieth-century development. He became joint managing director in 1962, chaired the shipbroking division from 1972 to 1985 and served as chairman of the whole group, then known as Horace Clarkson, until retiring in 1993. He was credited with turning the business into a global leader in shipbroking. His tenure included expansion of work with Esso and the addition of business relationships in Brazil, Norway and the Far East. He also defended the group against attempted corporate raids during the 1970s. The group separated a range of diversified assets into Shipping Industrial Holdings in 1974. Its board during later decades included figures such as insurance executive Michael Wade, who served from 1984 to 1993, and industrial executive Peter Parker, who served from 1971 to 1993. These changes formed part of a longer process in which the company concentrated its identity around maritime services. Richard Fulford-Smith became chief executive in 2004. He was associated with the company's growth into a leading sale-and-purchase shipbroker, but left the board in 2008 after litigation claims relating to Russia emerged. Andi Case became chief executive in 2008. Martin Stopford, a prominent shipping economist, served on the board and led the research arm until March 2012. Clarksons pursued selective diversification and expansion in the 2010s. In 2013 it acquired Gibb Tools, a North Sea oil-engineering tools supplier, for £12.7 million. In 2015 it acquired RS Platou AS, a Norwegian shipbroking and investment-banking group. These transactions complemented the company's traditional broking activities with exposure to offshore engineering and maritime finance. The modern group operates through four broad areas: broking, financial services, support services and research. It brokers vessels for major producers and traders of natural resources and supports transactions involving chartering, vessel sale and purchase and other maritime activity. Clarkson Research Services focuses on collecting, checking, analyzing and managing data about merchant shipping and offshore markets. The group also operates port and maritime technology services. Its headquarters are at Commodity Quay in London's St Katharine Docks, and the company is listed on the London Stock Exchange and included in the FTSE 250 Index.
- 2022
Laurence Hollingworth becomes chairman
[1]Laurence Hollingworth was appointed chairman after William Thomas's period in the role.
- 2015
Acquisition of RS Platou AS
[1]The acquisition added a Norwegian shipbroking and investment-banking group to Clarksons.
- 2013
Acquisition of Gibb Tools
[1]Clarksons acquired the North Sea oil-engineering tools supplier for £12.7 million.
- 1974
Diversified assets spun off
[1]Various diversified assets were separated into Shipping Industrial Holdings.
- 1954
First overseas office opens in New York
[1]The New York office began the company's postwar international office expansion.
- 1929
Esso appoints Clarksons as exclusive shipbroker
[1]The appointment helped Clarksons become the world's largest tanker broker.
- 1872
Entry into shipowning
[1]Clarksons became shipowners through the acquisition of three schooners.
- 1860
Entry into steamship chartering
[1]The company expanded from work associated with sailing ships into chartering steamships during the 1860s.
- 1852
Clarkson founded in London
[1]Horace Anderton Clarkson established the business in partnership with Leon Benham.
Products and positioning
A specialist, globally networked maritime services provider focused on shipbroking, shipping-market intelligence and related financial, port and technology services.
Maritime brokerage · 1852
Shipbroking
Clarksons' core activity is broking ships and maritime contracts for owners, charterers, commodity producers and traders. The business covers chartering and vessel transactions across major shipping and offshore segments, connecting cargo interests with available tonnage and advising participants on commercial terms and market conditions.
Vessel transaction advisory
Sale and purchase brokerage
The group advises buyers and sellers in transactions involving newbuildings and second-hand vessels. Its international network and market information support valuation, negotiation and execution for shipowners, financial investors and other maritime participants.
Financial advisory
Maritime financial services
Clarksons provides financial and investment-banking services connected with shipping and offshore markets. These activities complement its brokerage franchise and provide clients with advice related to maritime assets, transactions and capital requirements.
Shipping data and research
Clarkson Research Services
Clarkson Research Services collects, validates, analyzes and manages information about merchant shipping and offshore markets. Its research and data capabilities support commercial decisions by shipowners, charterers, investors, lenders, producers and traders.
Maritime support services
Port and maritime technology services
Alongside broking and research, the group operates port-related services and maritime technology activities. These offerings broaden Clarksons' role from intermediary to service provider across parts of the shipping ecosystem.
Brand decisions
2015
Acquisition of RS Platou ASM&ABackground
Clarksons pursued international expansion and greater scale in shipbroking and maritime finance.
Action taken
The company acquired RS Platou AS, a Norwegian shipbroking and investment-banking group.
Aftermath
The acquisition strengthened Clarksons' presence in international shipbroking and expanded its related financial-services capabilities.
2013
Acquisition of Gibb ToolsM&ABackground
Clarksons sought to extend its maritime and energy-sector service portfolio through the purchase of a North Sea oil-engineering tools supplier.
Action taken
The company acquired Gibb Tools for £12.7 million.
Aftermath
The transaction added a North Sea oil-engineering tools business to the group's broader maritime services activities.
Acquisition consideration. £12.7 million transaction value (2013)
Recent events
- Unconfirmed
Clarksons raises 2021 profit guidance[2]
Clarksons said that, subject to audit, its underlying profit before tax for 2021 was now expected to be at least £69 million, following stronger-than-anticipated trading in December.
Clarksons announces acquisition of Martankers[3]
Reported:
Clarksons announced the acquisition of all issued share capital of Spanish shipbroking firm Martankers. Martankers will continue to be led by its existing leaders and be integrated into Clarksons’ specialised products and petrochemical gases divisions.
Sources3 sources
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