Hi guys, Is there anyone out there who heard about this type of trading? It seems quite specific and interesting.There is actually a MS programme at Cass business school MSc in Shipping, Trade and Finance. I have started to think about this type of career. What would be the chances in London and in other countries? What do you think about the demand for this type of graduates?Any idea and opinion would be appreciated. Thanks in advance

(1) All major FFA brokers are in London. There are only a few of them, e.g. Clarkson. They have branches elsewhere though.(2) http://www.imarex.com/the_exchange/exchange_membersThe list gives you most FFA brokers, shipping/chartering companies, commodity companies, banks and hedge funds that are part of the business.(3) The names in the exchange participant list are from around the world but FFA traded OTC claimed the majority of volumn in this business, so the FFA brokers handle more trades than anyone else in the market - so the best place to find job in FFA is London I guess....

Thanks for the reply imsky. Are you actually a FFA broker? And what would you say about the Cass programme?

The only guy we've dealt with who went into this area did not have direct qualificaitons. Had a PhD in physical sciences and a CQF.I don't offer this as a very valid sample though.

Thanks for the feedback DCFC. Well, I am not a quant myself and am actually studying my undergraduate degree right now. I was just thinking of what to do after graduation and I just ran into this programme on the web. I think it is quite specific and it looks like a new field. Both for the companies who want to hedge and for the investment banks. But on the other hand, is it actually too specific? Because if you've got a MSc degree in Finance, you can switch your career path more easily, I guess. And if almost all the jobs are in London, then the location is kind of limited as well.

No, I am not an FFA broker. It just happened that I audited a commodity and freight management company, which has a lot of positions in FFA to hedge their chatering contracts. So I have spent a lot of time last year to understand how the product and the market work, as well as the pricing of this product. It is a very specific product as you said. If you look at their price trend and trading volumn over the last 2 years you can feel the rise an fall of a market....I donno much about the Cass programme - probably ppl in the city have a better idea

QuoteBut on the other hand, is it actually too specific? Because if you've got a MSc degree in Finance, you can switch your career path more easily, I guess. And if almost all the jobs are in London, then the location is kind of limited as well. The programe is highly regarded in the cycles of shipping community, at least here. On the other hand shipping itself is a very specific field, where many other fields intersect, banking, finance, law, logistics, naval achitecture etc. Even if your specialty is within one specific field you need some exposure to the rest to be effective. On the other hand its a very volatile globalised business, and sometimes a dirty business.

Thanks for the feedback everyone! Do I actually need any kind of experience for this kind of career? I mean, would they expect a trading background to get into this type of job? I know, I ask a lot.By the way, the programme is dominated by greek professors .

QuoteOriginally posted by: candemirDo I actually need any kind of experience for this kind of career? Some years on the seas, sailing worldwide, never harmed anyone. You may start as a low rank sailor, the so called ship-dog, but with time you may be promoted to a captain. You will see strange lands and mermaids, you will catch exotic venereals, you may develop rare and valuable skills, subject to missions undertaken, such as drug and guns trafficing, oil smuggling, penetrating naval blockade areas, sailing through and loading cargos from war zones. If sharks wont eat you, and pirates wont kill you for your watch then one day you will have plenty of stories to tell your grand children.

It would be VERY (too?) specific.All in all, I reckon you can get into a freight trading job (say) without such a specific qualification. Do you want to specialize so much so early in your career?

Well, I've been asking the same question and I guess I don't specialize that early. But I don't want to miss anything either. The thing is: I can't get this type of job because I don't live in a big finance city. There are lots of logistics companies and etc. but I don't think anyone trades these type of forwards. Maybe I get a corporate finance job at a logistics company to understand a little bit how it works. Thank you all for the feedback!