Freight Trader

About Ampol Trading & Shipping

Our purpose at Ampol is to power better journeys today and tomorrow. Our Trading and Shipping team is key to achieving this, not only supplying our customer’s needs today, but evolving as the energy transition takes place to supply our customers well into the future.

We take pride in our people and value innovation, sustainability, and customer satisfaction. If you’re a professional committed to excellence, Ampol is looking for you.

About the role

Our purpose at Ampol is to power better journeys, today and tomorrow.  Trading and Shipping is at the forefront of that aspiration, not only supplying Ampol’s needs today, but evolving to provide innovation and purpose as the world transitions from fossil fuels to alternative energy sources.

At Ampol, we do not see freight trading as simply a service, providing vessels of the highest quality to move our feedstocks and products safely and economically around the world.  We see freight trading as a commodity to be traded as any other price risk in the trading space. Ampol’s trading team is mobility led, extracting value from every part of the supply chain to provide a world class service to the Ampol Group and deliver outstanding returns on a stand-alone basis.

The Manager, Freight Trading is responsible for developing the vessel chartering and freight trading strategy that will maximise the value generated from within our own portfolio as well as being strong people leader.

Key responsibilities

The Freight trader will be part of the team that are responsible for organising shipping for a growing business that currently arranges freight for approximately 400 cargoes per year of crude, clean and dirty petroleum products with a total freight bill in excess of $USD500m per annum.  The role has the potential have a material impact on the profitability of trade strategies through effective freight procurement.

The freight trader is accountable for: 

Determine short and medium term trading strategies based on market understanding, both in FFA portfolio & physical chartering 

• Evaluates potential business development opportunities to ensure profitability and competitiveness.
• Require sourcing optimal shipping solutions and maximising potential earnings while optimising costs. Hence, the ability to evaluate the pros and cons of alternative approaches is essential.
• Manage resources and risks, and negotiating with various parties on bunkers, voyage and time charter deals, with the ability to use FFA’s as a proprietary and Risk management tool.
• Advise Ampol Trading on appropriate freight exposure management options in line with the trade book strategy.
• Recommend, coordinate, and execute related commercial activities including negotiate Spot Voyage and Time charters across multiple vessel classes to maximise revenues.

Develop trading options and maintain market intelligence in order to maximise value to Ampol

• Build and leverage external relationships to deliver competitive freight solutions both through discounted rates and alternative pricing options.
• Have an intimate understanding of freight and oil arbitrage exposure
• Collaborate with our analysis team, developing bespoke insights to inform on market forecasts as well as trading views

Establish, develop and maintain relationships with suppliers and customers to ensure optimal outcomes for Ampol

• Maintain strong, established external and existing network of freight and oil industry professionals, develop new relationships with key counterparties to deliver longer term freight solutions such as time charter and/or CoA options

Others

• Be fully conversant with the most heavily used Charter Party terms for both Spot and Term, being able to ensure Ampol’s interests are always protected as much as possible
• Provide oversight to all operational and relevant financial aspects of the freight transactions to support incident free transportation of Ampol’s cargoes, and accurate and timely financial payments, including consideration of operational and financial constraints
• Negotiate charter party contracts and ensure relevant documentations are complete adhere with all corporate standards and procedures.
• Monitor Physical & FFA freight rates, routes, segments, and freight future agreements and provide daily market analysis. To provide advice and recommendations on chartering matters to the individual trade desks
• Liaise with operations and internal/external counterparties to resolve any issues arising from vessel charters.
• Develop capability in each Ampol Trading role
• Ensure all company policies and procedures are complied with at all time

Qualifications & experience

• Degree in Supply Chain Management, Logistics, Maritime Studies, Engineering or Business Studies or a related discipline.
• 10 plus years’ experience in a chartering and/or owning capacity with a good understanding all aspects of the carriage of oil on ships, commercial considerations and operational excellence. FFA understanding and Trading experience.

Skills & Knowledge

• Sound understanding of charter parties, oil tanker markets, contracts and industry players and maintain thorough awareness of regional and global product markets.
• Trade Practices Act compliant and have an understanding of relevant regulations, commercial and marine practices and contractual requirements.
• Highly developed numeracy and computer skills.
• Well developed negotiation skills to negotiate charter terms.
• Strategic/business planning model – planning, budgeting, forecasting
• Demonstrate clear, concise and unambiguous communication, both verbal and written

Want to take your career to the next level? Apply today.