GEB is a growing emerging shipping company in India
Gujarathi Empire Bulk was established as the shipping arm of the Gujarathi Empire Group, a startup company in India. The company is aggressively moving into the shipping business, focusing on the dry bulk business in 2020-2021 and purchasing a tanker in 2022-2023. We conducted a written interview with the founder, Ashutosh Gujarati. (Hirofumi Yamamoto)
1) First, I would like to ask you about your background.
“My name is Ashutosh Gujarathi and I am a former merchant navy officer 4th class engineer. I sailed in the merchant marine and graduated in marine engineering. My family has been in the transportation business since 1990.Since 2017 I have been in charge of the same and gradually developed my venture ‘ Gujarathi Empire Group’ and moved into export, trade, transport, logistics and ship broking.”
“The entrepreneurial journey is always challenging but this is a thrilling and learning phase that will help me in the rest of my life. I still enjoy this journey today as I have no shame in any job and am very disciplined in assigning tasks and completing jobs and projects within the allotted time.”
2) Could you tell us about your specific initiatives in the shipping business?
“In dry bulk, we transported 500,000 tons of rice to East and West Africa in 2023, operating six dry vessels at a time. The main focus is on Persian Gulf, Japan, and Handysize to Panamax size dry bulk vessels. At the same time, now with the establishment of associate offices in Turkey and Houston, our strategy is focused on the Atlantic as well as the Mediterranean.”
3) What services does the Gujarathi Group offer to its clients?
“I would first like to talk about our ship brokerage and chartering services. We serve as a reliable partner for mass transportation for many traders and industries. We offer end-to-end solutions, including sourcing goods on a budget, procuring bulk vessels at reasonable freight rates, and providing customs clearance and port services through our strategic alliances around the world.”
“In export and transportation, everything is built on trust, and we are experts in that. Of course, we excel in both the export and logistics industries, whether it is sourcing produce to meet our customers’ requirements or delivering on time.”
(4) How would you like to build a relationship with the Japanese shipping industry?
“I have not been to Japan yet, but I have always heard very good things about Japan in terms of discipline and integrity. Japan is one of the oldest countries in the world in the shipping industry, and we are excited to be taking our first steps into the Japanese shipping industry in terms of ship owners, investors, and shipyards.”
“For investors in the Japanese shipping industry, now is the time to join hands with us and achieve our dreams and goals together, as a shipping company and as shipowners.” In addition, the entire shipping community, including buyers from Greece and other nationalities, give preference to Japanese-built vessels because of their quality and toughness. Therefore, we would like to partner with these exclusive shipowners and shipbuilders to order and market new vessels.”
5) What is your vision for the Gujarathi Empire Group?
“When I first joined the Merchant Marine to become a shipowner, my vision was a simple one, but I realized that the organization we were about to build had a deeper meaning and purpose. Of course, that is why, despite many challenges, my corporate group has forged its way as a dominant exporter of agricultural products, a reliable partner in transportation, and, of course, a shipping agent. So the vision is a long-lasting multinational conglomerate with ethics and values at its core. It is just a seed we sowed three years ago, and now it is beginning to take shape.”
Biography
Ashutosh Kumar Gujarathi
Ashutosh Kumar Gujarathi was born on March 16, 1993. He is a 4th class merchant marine officer.