History
Sound
Tankers
Panasia
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SPI
Marine
SPI Marine is the most experienced shipping services provider in the sensitive cargo supply chain, with over 1,800 years of combined knowledge from their dedicated team of industry experts. From humble beginnings here are the key milestones in our history:
STCI is founded by Jeff Mavelli and his two colleagues from a NYC tanker brokerage, establishing an office located in South Norwalk, Connecticut. Later that same year STCI merges with Fleets Cove Chartering whose two brokers move from Long Island to STCI’s Connecticut offices. Tom Wimmer joined the company in 1987 and became a partner in 1996, Tom Robbins joined in 1991 and made partner in 2000, followed by Jason Siemer who joined in 1997 and became a partner in 2010.
With the support and encouragement of BP Chemicals, Panasia Marine Ltd is founded by the Ahrenkiel Group with Mike Kardel at the helm, based out of Hong Kong and with an office in Seoul.
As STCI joins the Asian partnership, the business becomes global and Panasia Marine relocates from Hong Kong to Singapore, which is starting to develop into Asia’s chemical shipping hub. Soon after, in 1999 Graeme Finley joins Panasia Marine.
With the support of CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals (CSPC), the Shanghai office is opened in 2005 under Frank Chen’s leadership, diversifying quickly by establishing an agency division.
To strengthen our operations and build on existing COAs between Korean Owners and Major Oil companies, Soonhee Kim is hired to re-establish a presence in Seoul.
With business growing across the pond, STCI establishes its second US office, this time in Houston, Texas, which is rapidly becoming a hub for US charterers and owners.
When the Group is awarded Oman Methanol Company’s business, Peter Wakely joins to open the office in Sohar, ahead of OMC’s start-up in 2007.
STCI and Panasia Marine merge in 2011 to form SPI Marine, handling a combined multi-million tonne volume per annum. The Group steps up investment into digital systems and technology and further expands its market research and intelligence remit.
In 2014 SPI Marine forms Manuport Logistics Asia (MPLA), a joint-venture with Manuport Logistics NV (Antwerp), to offer the full range of freight forwarding and logistics services, truly progressing beyond shipbroking! Operating from SPI’s Singapore office, MPLA specializes in bulk liquid transportation in drums, flexi-tanks and iso-tanks.
With its global vision, the SPI Group establishes a presence in Europe when Graeme Harness joins in 2014, opening the UK branch. In 2017, SPI Marine UK goes on to develop its logistics and commodity business – Liquid Commodity Solutions (LCS), complementing the existing core broking business in the UK. Further enabling SPI Marine to deliver end-to-end solutions, from broking, shipping through to storage, containers, road and rail transportation.
In April 2023, SPI Marine launched CKB Fleet as a separate entity from its transactional brokerage. CKB Fleet is the leading informational portal that provides the highest quality chemical tanker fleet data and analytics.
STCI is founded by Jeff Mavelli and his two colleagues from a NYC tanker brokerage, establishing an office located in South Norwalk, Connecticut. Later that same year STCI merges with Fleets Cove Chartering whose two brokers move from Long Island to STCI’s Connecticut offices. Tom Wimmer joined the company in 1987 and became a partner in 1996, Tom Robbins joined in 1991 and made partner in 2000, followed by Jason Siemer who joined in 1997 and became a partner in 2010.
With the support and encouragement of BP Chemicals, Panasia Marine Ltd is founded by the Ahrenkiel Group with Mike Kardel at the helm, based out of Hong Kong and with an office in Seoul.
As STCI joins the Asian partnership, the business becomes global and Panasia Marine relocates from Hong Kong to Singapore, which is starting to develop into Asia’s chemical shipping hub. Soon after, in 1999 Graeme Finley joins Panasia Marine.
With the support of CNOOC and Shell Petrochemicals (CSPC), the Shanghai office is opened in 2005 under Frank Chen’s leadership, diversifying quickly by establishing an agency division.
To strengthen our operations and build on existing COAs between Korean Owners and Major Oil companies, Soonhee Kim is hired to re-establish a presence in Seoul.
With business growing across the pond, STCI establishes its second US office, this time in Houston, Texas, which is rapidly becoming a hub for US charterers and owners.
When the Group is awarded Oman Methanol Company’s business, Peter Wakely joins to open the office in Sohar, ahead of OMC’s start-up in 2007.
STCI and Panasia Marine merge in 2011 to form SPI Marine, handling a combined multi-million tonne volume per annum. The Group steps up investment into digital systems and technology and further expands its market research and intelligence remit.
In 2014 SPI Marine forms Manuport Logistics Asia (MPLA), a joint-venture with Manuport Logistics NV (Antwerp), to offer the full range of freight forwarding and logistics services, truly progressing beyond shipbroking! Operating from SPI’s Singapore office, MPLA specializes in bulk liquid transportation in drums, flexi-tanks and iso-tanks.
With its global vision, the SPI Group establishes a presence in Europe when Graeme Harness joins in 2014, opening the UK branch. In 2017, SPI Marine UK goes on to develop its logistics and commodity business – Liquid Commodity Solutions (LCS), complementing the existing core broking business in the UK. Further enabling SPI Marine to deliver end-to-end solutions, from broking, shipping through to storage, containers, road and rail transportation.
In April 2023, SPI Marine launched CKB Fleet as a separate entity from its transactional brokerage. CKB Fleet is the leading informational portal that provides the highest quality chemical tanker fleet data and analytics.
