Image credit: PortXL

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Online bunker broking service Bunker Connect has been selected for the PortXL 2018 accelerator program.

This year, PortXL scouted more than 1,000 start-ups and scale-ups, of which the final 30 were invited to participate in a four-day selection event in Rotterdam. That number was then whittled down to 14 companies during the final selection process.

Bunker Connect founders Mounir Bendouch and Konstantin Kaminski commented: "We are very excited about the program, this will help Bunker Connect to build a solid foundation and expand globally. We have a clear value proposition and we look forward to show that to parties like Boskalis, van Oord, Vopak and many more. We are not only interesting for bunker buyers and suppliers, but also for the entire ecosystem around bunkers. You can think of port agents, quantity surveyors, analysis labs and the port authority."

PortXL will be helping Bunker Connect to find new clients, investors and achieve growth. It is a 100-day, mentorship-driven accelerator program which starts in Rotterdam on March 12 and ends with a final shakedown presentation to outline the company's progress on June 14.

"We connect demand and supply five times cheaper than traditional brokers and traders. This means that we save ship operators thousands of dollars every time they bunker. On top of direct savings, we remove the financial risk of bankruptcy of intermediaries, by connecting the buyer directly with the physical suppliers," Bunker Connect said.