Inchcape Shipping Services’ history goes back to 1847 when it was established in India by a Scottish merchant, with its first customer being the British East India Company.
Since then the company has grown, developed, and changed hands to become the business it is today, employing around 2,500 people with offices in 60 countries covering over 2,200 ports. Between Inchcape’s own offices and its partner agents, the company is able to cover every major port in the world, with services delivered safely and with a consistent commitment to exceptional service, governance and transparency.
Inchcape represents vessel owners, operators, charterers and ship managers from all commodity sectors, helping them trade successfully and make better decisions in every port, everywhere. Its core business is to provide any service a ship requires when it calls into port. Those services can range from cargo-related services such as customs clearance, arranging cargo movements, services related to the maritime assets, repairs, spares for maintenance, surveys and inspections.
In the Middle East, South Asia and Africa, Inchcape has 59 offices in 14 countries and has handled 37,000 port calls since 2015. Operations are focused through three regional operations centres in the region, with local teams delivering the smooth services that customers deserve. In an industry where the top spot is closely contested between the leading companies in the sector, Inchcape sets itself apart with the sheer comprehensiveness of its global network.
Other global competitors have blank spots in some areas of the world, while Inchcape is truly global, with its own people, own offices and vetted approved business partners. Another big selling point for Inchcape is that it has its own procurement department. Strangely enough, it’s the only global agent with a dedicated procurement team, giving Inchcape much greater control of vendors and suppliers.
The company also utilises its large volume to get better buying power and cost savings opportunities, which are passed onto the customer.
