Seaspan Corporation: Leading a sea change toward growth and stability
This case tells the unlikely story of a young man with a background in marine navigation and ship brokering who, along with a group of other shipping professionals, gathered a number of different organizations together to build one of the top global container shipping companies. Gerry Wang led Seaspan Corporation from its IPO launch with two customers and few charters in 2005 to its present day with healthy financial performance and seven of the biggest names in shipping as clients. The key to Seaspan’s success has been controlling as many variables as possible so as to report stable, predictable earnings to investors. In this way, the company would be assured access to a dependable, affordable funding source. Seaspan extended this risk mitigation concept into its financing arrangements and charter negotiations. Seaspan has benefitted greatly from the “China trade”, the location of a significant level of manufacturing in China of goods destined for sale in the faraway markets of Europe and the US. The continued viability of Seaspan’s business model depends heavily on the current dynamics continuing.
To examine how two seemingly opposite concepts like growth and stability can be maintained simultaneously. How innovation, not only in products but also processes like contract structuring and tools like financial management, can push a company to the top of its industry in a brief time period.
2005-2008
Cranfield University
Wharley End Beds MK43 0JR, UK
Tel +44 (0)1234 750903
Email [email protected]
Harvard Business School Publishing
60 Harvard Way, Boston MA 02163, USA
Tel (800) 545-7685 Tel (617)-783-7600
Fax (617) 783-7666
Email [email protected]
NUCB Business School
1-3-1 Nishiki Naka
Nagoya Aichi, Japan 460-0003
Tel +81 52 20 38 111
Email [email protected]
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