Company History

John F Dillon & Co., LLC (JFD) was founded by Jack Dillon (1928-2006) on September 9th, 1965 at 17 Battery Place in New York City. Like most ship brokerage companies of that time, JFD was initially located in downtown Manhattan, until 1973 when it shifted its place of business to Greenwich, Connecticut. Over the years many ship brokers and owners followed suit, eventually forming a new shipping hub in Connecticut. Our office is presently located at 50 Washington Street in historic South Norwalk, CT.

The company's roots were formed in North America's grain exports to European and Asian markets. Over time, JFD came to realize increased volumes and improved information flow by representing a wider and more diverse group of cargo clients. Today, JFD is a recognized leader in the international dry cargo freight market, both for timely delivery of market information as well as for the volume of cargo it transacts. The company has grown from its original focus on agri-businesses to greater activity in the aluminum, sugar, iron ore, steel, coal and fertilizer industries. 

JFD's activities include projects and transactions encompassing the entire supply chain from the mine, refinery or farm to the end-user. Our staff of experienced brokers is dedicated toward covering our customers' needs from pre-fixture pricing of trade routes through tonnage procurement and the eventual settlement of each voyage file. Our senior management closely monitors these activities, ensuring a quality execution of each transaction.

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JFD has been a member of the Association of Ship Brokers and Agents (ASBA) since the company's incorporation in 1965. JFD is also a member of the Baltic Exchange and was appointed as the sole North American panelist reporting to Baltic International Freight Futures Exchange (BIFFEX) in 1991.

 

JFD is committed to developing new technologies and platforms which will improve our client's trading and execution processes. The benefit from these advances should produce a better real-time understanding of cargo flows and their impact on dry cargo markets. The company also maintains an insightful knowledge of changing U.S and international regulations, monitoring their impact on the cost inputs affecting dry cargo transportation.

 

Our company's founder, Jack Dillon, strongly believed that the heart of any company are its people. Our brokerage and operations staff adheres to the highest levels of integrity and service to our customers. Jack would have insisted that a proactive and responsive dialogue with counter parties in any freight transaction is the key essential. The ship broker's role as adviser, honest sounding board and conflict mediator remains as paramount today as it was 55 years ago. Jack would have been proud to see that the company he founded so long ago has not wavered from his bedrock principles of tradition and service to the shipping industry.