History
Sailing ships were still in use when the Clarksons story began in 1852. The business expanded rapidly, thanks to the dynamic leadership which has characterised Clarksons from then until the present day.
Becoming exclusive brokers to Esso in the USA in the 1920s helped establish Clarksons as the biggest tanker brokers in the world. We have since developed into a global conglomerate establishing a network of offices across five continents, providing an array of financial as well as port services, based on our core business of shipbroking and the provision of market intelligence - unrivalled in its scope - on the shipping and offshore industries.
Diversification
It was in 1950 that Clarksons began diversifying, first into insurance broking, which continued for many years, followed by inclusive holidays, transport and other services, all grouped under the umbrella of Shipping Industrial Holdings, sold in 1974. Ten years later we began developing other services which today include freight futures, fund management, financial services and property services, as well as stevedoring and warehousing.