CHARTERING MANAGER – OIL & ENERGY TRADING

JOB DESCRIPTIONCHARTERING MANAGER – OIL & ENERGY TRADING

Company: NAFT Energies FZCO Department: Shipping & Chartering Designation: Chartering Manager / Senior Chartering Manager Location: Dubai, UAE Reporting To: Managing Director / Head of Trading Experience Required: 10–15+ years in oil tanker chartering, shipping and/or energy trading

1. Job Purpose

The Chartering Manager will be responsible for managing the company's complete vessel chartering activities in support of its international oil trading business.

The successful candidate must have extensive experience in the global oil and shipping industry, with a strong understanding of crude oil and petroleum product markets, international tanker movements, freight rates, vessel availability and shipping routes.

The individual will be responsible for identifying suitable vessels, negotiating chartering agreements, managing relationships with international shipowners and shipbrokers, monitoring freight market movements and ensuring that all shipping arrangements are commercially competitive and operationally efficient.

The candidate must bring substantial industry knowledge, established market relationships and the ability to independently handle complex chartering negotiations and transactions.

1. Detailed Roles & Responsibilities

A. Oil Tanker Chartering and Vessel Booking

• Manage the chartering of vessels for transporting crude oil, refined petroleum products and other energy commodities.
• Identify, evaluate and secure suitable vessels based on cargo volume, type of product, loading and discharge ports, delivery schedules and trading requirements.
• Source vessels through direct relationships with shipowners, ship operators and international shipbrokers.
• Handle spot chartering, voyage chartering and time chartering arrangements.
• Negotiate vessel availability, freight rates, laycan dates, loading windows and other commercial terms.
• Review vessel specifications, including carrying capacity, vessel age, technical suitability and cargo-handling capabilities.
• Coordinate vessel nominations and ensure that vessels are secured within the required trading schedules.
• Maintain a reliable database of available vessels, owners, brokers and shipping contacts.

B. International Oil and Freight Market Knowledge

• Maintain comprehensive knowledge of the international oil shipping and tanker markets.
• Monitor global freight rate movements and identify changes in vessel demand and availability.
• Understand major oil-producing regions, oil-exporting countries, importing markets and international shipping routes.
• Monitor developments in major trading and shipping hubs, including the Middle East, Asia, Europe, Africa and other key markets.
• Analyse the impact of geopolitical developments, sanctions, port restrictions, supply disruptions and changes in global oil demand on shipping costs and vessel availability.
• Keep management informed about freight market trends, shipping opportunities and potential risks.
• Provide recommendations on the most commercially beneficial shipping routes and chartering arrangements.

C. Commercial Negotiations and Freight Cost Management

• Negotiate competitive freight rates with shipowners, vessel operators and brokers.
• Review and negotiate charter party agreements and contractual shipping terms.
• Evaluate voyage costs, freight expenses, bunker costs, port charges and other associated shipping costs.
• Analyse voyage economics to determine the financial viability of different shipping arrangements.
• Negotiate demurrage rates, laytime provisions, cancellation terms and other commercial conditions.
• Identify opportunities to reduce freight costs and improve overall trading margins.
• Ensure that chartering decisions support the company's purchasing, sales and profitability objectives.
• Review freight quotations and provide commercial recommendations to management before finalizing fixtures.

D. Shipowner, Shipbroker and Industry Relationship Management

• Develop and maintain strong professional relationships with international shipowners, shipbrokers, charterers and shipping companies.
• Establish direct connections with reputable tanker owners and operators across major international shipping markets.
• Build a strong network of reliable shipping partners to secure competitive vessel availability.
• Maintain relationships with key industry contacts to obtain market information, freight indications and vessel availability updates.
• Attend relevant oil, energy, shipping and commodity trading industry events.
• Identify new business contacts and develop strategic partnerships that support the company's international trading activities.
• Leverage existing industry relationships to obtain competitive commercial terms and timely vessel fixtures.

E. Charter Party Agreements and Contract Management

• Prepare, review, negotiate and administer charter party agreements.
• Understand different chartering structures, including Voyage Charter, Time Charter and, where relevant, Consecutive Voyage Charter arrangements.
• Review contractual provisions relating to freight payment, demurrage, dispatch, laytime, cargo handling, cancellation and vessel performance.
• Ensure that agreed commercial terms are properly reflected in the charter party documentation.
• Coordinate with the legal and commercial teams on contractual matters and disputes.
• Monitor contractual obligations and ensure compliance with agreed chartering conditions.
• Manage contractual issues arising from vessel delays, loading or discharge disruptions and other shipping-related disputes.

F. Vessel Vetting, Due Diligence and Risk Management

• Evaluate the suitability and reliability of vessels before confirming chartering arrangements.
• Review vessel particulars, ownership details, classification certificates, insurance and technical records.
• Ensure that vessels meet the required safety, technical and operational standards.
• Coordinate vessel vetting and approval processes with relevant parties.
• Conduct appropriate due diligence on shipowners, vessel operators and other counterparties.
• Ensure compliance with applicable international maritime regulations, sanctions, trade restrictions and company policies.
• Identify potential shipping, commercial, operational and counterparty risks.
• Avoid engaging vessels or counterparties that may expose the company to sanctions, compliance or reputational risks.

G. Voyage Planning and Shipping Operations

• Coordinate with the trading, operations and documentation teams to understand cargo requirements and shipment schedules.
• Ensure appropriate vessel arrangements are made for loading and discharging cargo.
• Monitor vessel movements from the loading port to the discharge port.
• Coordinate with shipowners, agents, terminals and other relevant stakeholders.
• Monitor loading and discharge schedules and address operational delays.
• Review Statements of Facts, Notice of Readiness and other relevant shipping documents.
• Monitor laytime calculations and manage demurrage or dispatch claims.
• Resolve shipping-related issues in coordination with the relevant departments.
• Ensure that shipments are completed within the agreed contractual and commercial timelines.

H. Strategic Planning and Business Development

• Develop and implement chartering strategies aligned with the company's oil trading activities.
• Identify opportunities in international tanker markets and new shipping routes.
• Evaluate opportunities for long-term vessel arrangements and strategic shipping partnerships.
• Advise management on market conditions, freight trends and chartering opportunities.
• Support the expansion of the company's crude oil and petroleum product trading activities.
• Provide market intelligence to support purchasing, selling and trading decisions.
• Identify opportunities to improve the company's shipping network, commercial efficiency and market competitiveness.

1. Required Industry Experience

The candidate must demonstrate:

• Minimum 10–15 years of relevant experience in the international oil, tanker chartering or shipping industry.
• Extensive practical experience in crude oil and/or petroleum product tanker chartering.
• Strong understanding of the international oil and freight markets.
• Proven experience in negotiating and concluding vessel chartering transactions.
• Direct exposure to international shipowners, shipbrokers and vessel operators.
• Strong knowledge of global tanker availability, freight rate movements and shipping routes.
• Experience handling charter party agreements and commercial shipping negotiations.
• Experience working with oil trading companies, energy companies, tanker operators or international shipping firms.

Preferred industry exposure:

• Crude Oil Tankers
• Petroleum Product Tankers
• Clean Petroleum Products (CPP)
• Dirty Petroleum Products (DPP)
• International Oil Trading
• Marine Transportation
• Tanker Chartering and Shipping

1. Educational Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Maritime Studies, Shipping Management, Logistics, International Trade, Business Administration or a related discipline.
• Relevant professional qualifications in shipping, chartering or maritime operations will be an advantage.
• Strong commercial and technical understanding of the international tanker industry is essential.

1. Technical Knowledge Required

The candidate should have a strong working knowledge of:

• International tanker chartering practices.
• Crude oil and petroleum product transportation.
• Voyage Charter and Time Charter arrangements.
• Charter Party Agreements.
• Freight calculations and voyage economics.
• Laytime, Demurrage and Dispatch.
• Vessel specifications and tanker classifications.
• Global shipping routes and major oil trading hubs.
• International maritime regulations and vessel vetting.
• Shipping documentation and cargo transportation procedures.
• Freight market analysis and industry pricing benchmarks.

1. Essential Skills and Competencies

• Exceptional commercial negotiation and deal-making abilities.
• Strong understanding of global oil and tanker markets.
• Established international industry network and business relationships.
• Excellent market intelligence and analytical capabilities.
• Ability to independently identify and secure suitable vessels.
• Strong commercial judgement and cost-control capabilities.
• Ability to manage multiple chartering transactions simultaneously.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong decision-making and problem-solving abilities.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-moving oil trading environment.

1. Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Performance will be assessed based on:

• Competitive freight rates achieved through successful negotiations.
• Number and quality of successfully concluded vessel fixtures.
• Reduction in avoidable freight expenses and demurrage costs.
• Timely vessel availability and cargo transportation.
• Quality and strength of international shipowner and broker relationships.
• Accuracy of freight market analysis and commercial recommendations.
• Effective management of chartering contracts and operational risks.
• Identification of new shipping opportunities and strategic partnerships.
• Compliance with vessel vetting and applicable regulatory requirements.
• Contribution to the company's overall oil trading profitability.

1. Ideal Candidate Profile

We are looking for a highly experienced oil and shipping industry professional who has spent a substantial part of their career in tanker chartering and international oil transportation.

The ideal candidate should have a strong reputation in the market, extensive knowledge of international freight movements, established relationships with major shipowners and brokers, and a proven ability to negotiate and execute commercially beneficial chartering transactions.

The individual must be commercially driven, well-connected within the oil industry and capable of bringing valuable market intelligence, business relationships and chartering expertise to the company.

The position is intended for an established industry professional who can independently manage the company's chartering function and contribute directly to its international oil trading business.

Work Location: In person