LONDON, 03/06/2024 – Freight Investor Services (FIS), the leading freight and commodity futures broker, is delighted to announce the acquisition of GR8 Chartering Hellas in Athens, Greece.
The acquisition will bring GR8 Chartering’s expertise in physical shipping into the FIS group and increase its presence in Greece, one of the shipping market’s key geographies.
FIS currently enjoys a dominant market share in the FFA market in dry freight and key bulk commodities, and has been voted the top dry bulk broker for the past 12 years.
GR8 Chartering was founded in June 2023 as a broker for vessels for dry cargo of all sizes and provides market intelligence and insights, pricing, and consulting on negotiations, operations and maritime regulation. Its brokerage team in Athens will complement and enhance the existing FIS offering of derivatives in freight and commodities.
John Banaszkiewicz, FIS CEO and Founder, said,
“It is an exciting time, in the middle of Posidonia, to be announcing our investment in a Greek shipping business. Greece’s long maritime history makes this deal very special and long may this continue in the future(s).
GR8 Chartering are a dynamic and successful shipbroker, and we are pleased to be able to play a part in its future.
We hope that this joining together of physical and futures expertise will be a fruitful partnership, with a particular focus on helping drive more volume in the Supramax and Handysize futures from physical players.”
Theo Vasilakis, GR8 Chartering Founding Partner, said,
“We are thrilled about the expertise that John Banaszkiewicz and FIS can bring to our physical business.
Our team’s hard work and commitment to delivering exceptional chartering services have been the cornerstone of our success. Joining Freight Investor Services is a fantastic opportunity to leverage their extensive 20-year industry expertise and resources, propelling our growth and service offerings to new heights.
We’re immensely grateful for the support and trust of our clients, partners, and team members. Our commitment to delivering exceptional service remains unwavering as we continue to navigate the seas of dry cargo chartering.
Thank you to everyone who has been part of our journey so far! Here’s to many more successful ventures ahead at FIS Hellas S.A.”
GR8 Chartering Hellas SA will soon be renamed to FIS Hellas SA, which will serve as FIS’s Greek office in the physical dry cargo chartering market, working closely with the existing dry cargo desks in Singapore, Shanghai, and India.
Contacts
For any queries, please contact the FIS Communications Department:
Davide Annarumma, Senior Communications Specialist
+44 (0)207 090 1120
About FIS
Freight Investor Services (FIS) is a world-leading brokerage and service provider in freight and commodity derivatives. For over 20 years, FIS has forged a reputation as pioneers and innovators, tirelessly striving to spearhead and develop new markets.
FIS enjoys a dominant market share in dry bulk freight (FFAs), iron ore, coking coal, steel and fertilizer derivatives outside China for the last decade. FIS has been named No. 1 bulk commodity broker by the SGX Exchange in 2024. The company has pioneered the development of iron ore, FFA options, coking coal, cobalt, lithium, and container markets. In addition to brokerage, FIS offers a comprehensive suite of data services, available across multiple platforms, and bespoke educational material to empower clients to master the commodity derivative markets.
Thanks to its global network of offices in the US, UK, Dubai, India, Singapore and China, FIS provides a 24-hour global network, and it is present in all major markets including cleared contracts on EEX, SGX, CME, ICE, LME, and DCE.
About GR8 Chartering Hellas
Gr8 chartering Hellas was established in June 2023 by eight partners with experience in both the Greek and International markets. The company has achieved significant milestones in its first 12 months of operation and made a noteworthy impact on this highly competitive market. With its dedicated team of chartering and operations personnel, has quickly established strong presence in the industry securing a reputation for reliability and excellence.
