Rice Exchange and Ducat Maritime to offer parcel shipping service
Rice Exchange -the technology company that brings innovation, transparency and security to the global rice market - has announced a partnership with DUCAT Maritime, a tie-up that will enable users of the Ricex platform to ship small to medium-sized lots without having to worry about the complexity of chartering a vessel themselves.
Chartering a full vessel may work for parties moving large quantities, but the cost, risk and technical expertise required can be prohibitive for smaller traders. DUCAT Maritime is the leading maritime operator specialising in so-called parcel service catering to those with small or medium-sized bagged loads starting from 1,000 tons up to full vessel size. It does this by bundling cargos, which can also be collected from and delivered to multiple locations.
“Providing hassle-free access to DUCAT’s shipping service through the Ricex platform will be a huge boon for smaller rice traders,” said Frank Gouverne, a founding partner of Ricex and rice industry veteran of 30 years. “It will reduce risk for importers and exporters and will do much to democratize trade within an industry where size currently brings major advantages.”
“We are impressed by the team at Rice Exchange and how they have embedded themselves at the heart of the global rice market in such a short period,” says Willy J. Simon, Chairman of DUCAT Maritime. “We look forward to expanding our customer network through their platform.”
Parcel shipping is the latest service to be added to the Ricex platform ahead of its full launch. With the agreements currently in place, Ricex customers will have access to shipping, insurance and inspections as well as to the trading platform itself.
