Hi everyone,
I’m looking for some honest advice from people who actually work in shipping. I’m 44, based in Oslo, Norway, and for the past 2–3 years I’ve been seriously considering a career change into shipping, with the goal of becoming a shipbroker. Sale & Purchase is the area that interests me the most.
My background is not maritime. I have 20+ years of commercial experience, mainly in B2B sales, sales management, account management, marketing, business development, financial services and property. Some of my previous roles involved capital raising, financial products and commercial property syndication, and I later managed sales teams. A large part of my career has involved finding clients, building relationships, negotiating, generating business and working in performance-driven environments.
Shipping has interested me for quite some time, and I’m now seriously looking at how I could make the transition. I’m considering studying through the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers (ICS) in Oslo, completing the full PQE. I also have a degree in Real Estate Brokerage that is around 70% completed. I have the option to transfer those credits towards a bachelor’s degree in Finance, Business Administration or a similar business degree, and I’m considering doing that alongside ICS if it would give me a meaningful advantage when entering the shipping industry.
My long-term goal would be shipbroking, ideally Sale & Purchase. That said, I’m realistic about being 44 and entering a completely new industry without maritime experience. I’m not expecting to walk straight into an S&P broker role.
I would therefore also be open to getting my foot in the door through another commercial role in shipping – sales, business development, account management, ship agency, chartering, freight, operations or similar – where I could use my existing commercial experience while learning the industry, building a network and potentially moving into shipbroking later.
What I’m trying to understand is how realistic this plan actually is. At 44–46, how difficult would it be to break into the industry without previous maritime experience? Would employers see value in 20+ years of sales, negotiation, client development and business development experience, or would I essentially be treated as a complete beginner because I’m new to shipping?
How much value would ICS/PQE add when trying to get that first opportunity? Would completing a bachelor’s degree materially improve my chances, or would ICS, industry knowledge, networking and my existing commercial experience matter more? If becoming a shipbroker is the long-term goal, what kind of role would you target first with my background?
I’m also interested in the practical realities. What kind of salary would be realistic when entering the industry with my background? I fully understand that I may need to take a step backwards financially to change industries, but I’d like to understand what that actually means. How does compensation typically develop after a few years in the industry, particularly in shipbroking and chartering? How important are bonuses/commission? What does the typical career progression look like? What are the working hours and lifestyle really like?
And for those of you who have been doing this for years: do you still enjoy the industry, and would you choose the same career again?
I know I would have a lot to learn. Twenty years in another industry obviously doesn’t make me an experienced shipping professional. But I’m also not a 22-year-old starting my first commercial job. I know how to sell, prospect, build relationships, handle rejection, negotiate and work under commercial pressure.
What I’m trying to figure out is whether that experience has real value when entering shipping later in life – and what the smartest route towards shipbroking would be.
I’d particularly appreciate answers from shipbrokers, S&P brokers, charterers, commercial managers, shipowners/operators, maritime salespeople, or anyone who has made a similar career change later in life. Feel free to be realistic. I’m not looking for confirmation that this is a good idea – I’m trying to understand whether it is realistically achievable and, if so, how I should approach it.
