Shipping->Commodities desk
Hi all,
Junior/sophmore who took an extra semester due to transferring. I recently had a coffee chat/site visit with a Director at large shipping company(Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd,CMA-CGM).
The Director at the end of the chat told me that they don't have any formal internships posted on the site, but have internships for people who know the employees, and was wondering if I would be interested in applying for and implied that it's pretty easy to get in since I have a personal connection.
Would a commodities desk look at the internship and see a ton of value in it? It's not a traditional finance internship, but I figure it's a lot of exposure to the commodities markets, and obviously, shipping is a huge part of the transaction, plus it's a well known company and is more recognizable than small boutique shop.
Edit: This is for summer 2025.
Thanks,
W_M_C
Based on the most helpful WSO content, an internship at a large shipping company like Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd, or CMA-CGM can indeed add significant value to your profile, especially if you're aiming for a commodities desk in the future. Here's why:
Exposure to Commodities Markets: Shipping is a critical component of the commodities supply chain. Working at a major shipping company will give you insights into logistics, freight rates, and the movement of goods, which are all integral to understanding physical commodity trading.
Recognizable Brand: A well-known company on your resume, such as Maersk or CMA-CGM, carries weight and can make your profile stand out compared to smaller, less recognized firms.
Networking Opportunities: Building relationships within the shipping industry can be valuable, as many commodity trading roles require strong networks across logistics, shipping, and trading desks.
Skill Development: Even if the role isn't directly finance-related, you'll likely develop transferable skills such as negotiation, operations management, and an understanding of market dynamics, which are highly relevant to commodities trading.
Pathway to Trading Roles: As highlighted in WSO threads, starting in shipping or logistics can be a stepping stone to trading roles. Demonstrating your understanding of the shipping side of the business can make you a more attractive candidate for trading desks, especially in commodities that are heavily freight-dependent (e.g., crude oil, iron ore, coal).
In summary, this internship opportunity is worth pursuing. It aligns well with your goal of transitioning to a commodities desk, and the combination of industry exposure, brand recognition, and skill-building will strengthen your candidacy for future roles.
Sources: Q&A: I'm an Agricultural Commodities Trader, Q&A: I'm a Dry Bulk Physical Trader, Physical Commodities Trading 2022 Graduate Program Megathread, Physical Commodity Trading
Bump
It wouldn’t be a huge positive in the sense that it automatically guarantees an interview for whatever position you apply to next. But if that’s the best you have, you might as well do it. It will be a recognizable name in an adjacent industry where you can make a plausible story that you are interested in trading that centers around physical arbitrage.
Thanks for the answer. I followed up with the Director and asked what he read news-wise for info about his industry and he mentioned the Journal of Commerce by S&P Global. Unfortunately, it's a bit too pricey for me right now and my school doesn't have a subscription to it.
Do you recommend anything in terms of what I should read in order to prepare and get caught up on the container/dry bulk shipping industry? Currently I read the FT and keep bloomberg on during the day but they tend to not touch the commodities secotr outside of oil and metals.
Absolutely this would be a valuable internship to have on your CV if you wanted to go into commods trading. Especially if your target is one of the merchant shops (V, Trafi, Glencore, etc.). Freight logistics/economics are a huge piece of the puzzle for the merchant shops, and often a bit intractable if you don’t have experience with them
t. 5yr analyst at one of those shops
Thanks for the answer. On a sort of related note, I thinking about picking up a minor in meteorology.I like weather and stuff about that and I know it plays a huge part for certain commodities like heating oil or gas and ags as a whole. Have you seen any guys or gals who were former weathman/women or have a meteorology degree?
Shops tend to have a chief meteorologist to be like *the* weather guy for the firm. Outside of that it's not obvious to me that having a minor in meteorology would be a big distinguishing factor in the hiring process. Maybe unless you went for one of those commods that relies heavily on weather.
Assuming you mean summer 2026 (2025 as you have listed is in the past lol), but I'd go for it and evaluate the opportunity as well as any others if/when you get offer in hand
Maybe see if your connection can push you for a freight trading type of seat? That would be the most applicable I'd think
Chase your warmest leads first!
Whoops on my part for the date. I think I need more sleep.
This is actually my hottest lead. I actually went to school with there child for about 4 years and we still talk weekly.
bump
If you're doing shipping at a liner, do freight trading if you can. The paper traders have the most exposure to "normal" commodity trading, and a lot of the market's movement precipitates on what commodity prices are doing, and their respective drivers.
Look at the ABCD commodity houses too. ADM, Bunge, Cargill, Dreyfus. They have chartering and trading openings, which go hand-in-hand.
It may not be a guaranteed entry ticket, but the commodity trading industry is so niche in a way that shipping is perhaps the 2nd best thing you could do (after commodities themselves) to steer your CV towards it. Obv you won't be doing anything meaningful, but just being able to shadow a charterer or a shipping operator will do. Especially if you end up applying to Cargill/Trafi/other shops heavily involved in freight, that will look good. Freight is a key aspect that many people overlook. Arbs may be open on paper, but not viable physically due to whatever freight constraints. Charterers are literally trading the world. FFAs can move like crazy and the spec trading behind it can be insanely lucrative. Also, not too uncommon to see a wet freight trader move to crude. The more macro and less ops intensive the product, the more relevant freight knowledge becomes. Last but not least, shipping guys are the closest thing to a commodity guy. It would be good for you to see if you like the environment. Many times academically brilliant people struggle in these places cuz it's where background and uni stop counting. Kid that got in after A-levels through a family connection is going to be already 3 years ish into the job and finding a mentor can be extremely tough (getting an experienced operator to sit next to you & teach you the ropes can be mission impossible lol).
Yeah, I actually am starting to focus on the Softs industry, like sugar and coffee.
My contact at MSC is in the office for Specialized Segments, so I believe that's up his alley. Also can I PM you? I have a Substack that I'd like to get some feedback.
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