A ship broker is a company (or person) who performs important roles in any of the following :

• Assists a shipowner to buy or sell a ship;
• Assists a cargo owner to find a suitable ship to move his cargo. (This is especially important in dry bulk trades or the bulk liquid trades where a suitable bulk carrier or tanker is required to move a particular cargo. It is also applicable when a containership operator wants to charter a ship, and indeed in other areas of shipping where anchor handling tugs, drillships and other types of vessel are also needed for specific time periods.)
• Assists a shipowner to find cargoes for his ships.