The birth of the Hong Kong Island family

In early August, Lin Zhichao returned to Hong Kong from Japan. During this trip to Japan, he signed a contract with Sanko Shipping for six "oil and cargo mixed ships" with a total load capacity of 72,000 tons, which can be said to be a huge gain.

Although the current price has fallen, the annual rental price of a 10,000-ton second-hand cargo ship is about 500,000 US dollars, and the annual profit is 300,000 to 350,000 US dollars (limited to the operating level in Hong Kong, and profit fluctuations are mainly due to the maintenance and repair of the ship). It takes about 24 to 28 months to pay back the investment (it is also good to consider the possibility of missing out on the ship).

However, this time Global Shipping’s six 10,000-ton cargo ships were converted into mixed cargo ships, so the annual rent for the six ships was packaged and leased for US$3.5 million. The important thing is that Sanguang Shipping is very happy to rent this type of cargo ship. The prices are also very low for them.

Lin Zhichao didn't pay too much attention to the price. Payback in early two years was nothing. He took a long-term view. These ships would expire in August 1956, and it would be harvest time.

In the conference room of Global Shipping, Lin Zhichao was having a meeting with senior officials.

The company has 50 ships with a load capacity of 500,000 tons and double-fifty figures.

"Once the armistice agreement was signed at the end of last month, the route from Hong Kong to the Americas is bound to be busy, so the company needs to purchase a number of ships, mainly taking the route to the Americas. In addition, the company has sufficient liquidity (about 6 million US dollars), we will continue to expand The fleet will strive to expand its carrying capacity to 600,000 tons this year."

The load capacity of 600,000 tons is not an exaggeration, but it is also one of the large fleets of Far East Shipping, and only a few shipping companies in Japan can match it. Even if it expands to 600,000 tons this year, Global Shipping can still earn a net cash flow of about US$6 to 7 million.

Next year, it will be time to enter the tanker field.

Gao Qiqiang immediately said: "Although prices have fallen, business has not. On the contrary, many Japanese shipping companies are increasingly willing to lease for a long time. If you build new ships, you will have no hope of getting back the money; if you order second-hand ships, the demand for foreign exchange will be high in the short term; This, coupled with increased operating costs, has resulted in the popularity of our ships in Japan."

Reputation is also a very good condition. Global Shipping has a very good reputation in Japan; in three years, there have been no major accidents, and small and medium-sized accidents have not had a big impact. They are all handled in a timely manner and their attitude is impeccable.

Lin Zhichao said confidently: "Then Deputy General Manager Feng will take people to Europe to select ships. This time, we will try to buy five large ships of more than 12,000 tons to make a profit. If you don't have enough funds, just prepare some installments. I believe it won't be a big problem."

Feng Yongfa immediately said: "Okay, we will definitely return with a full load."

This is the second time he has led a team to buy a ship. The boss's delegation of power made him feel a great responsibility. Fortunately, the company has a ship buying team, which was temporarily formed from various departments, including the technical department, the financial department, and the operations department. people unite.

Lin Zhichao nodded, and then he said: "I want to form a shipping think tank. You can all recommend the group's internal talents, and then specialize in shipping analysis and be subordinate to the group's direct department."

Global Shipping has more than 1,700 sailors, 268 people in the administrative department, and students from the Global Maritime Academy. It is a fully modern large-scale enterprise.

In managing such a large enterprise, Lin Zhichao has gradually delegated power to his subordinates. He only needs to be at the helm. He is currently looking for a deputy prime minister, but he hopes it will be an experienced foreign shipping top talent.

He hopes to have some "different" voices to achieve healthier growth of the company. Although he still has many senior foreign sailors under his banner, they are only sailors, not administrative staff. Of course, communicating with the captain is also one of the must-do tasks for global shipping.

Feng Yongfa asked: "How big is the boss planning to have this think tank?"

Lin Zhichao said: "Not necessarily, the important thing is that it is suitable. Based on the information collection of our radio wave laboratory, overseas inspections, etc., the intelligence team will make some suggestions, and then we will discuss the feasibility plan. So, give it a try first!"

"OK"

The role of the think tank is not so great, because Lin Zhichao has his own BUG, ​​but the formation of this think tank must be useful.

A meeting lasts only one hour, but there are many things to discuss; Lin Zhichao likes his staff to prepare well in advance, so the efficiency is very high.

"Has the cost of loading and unloading changed recently? What is the average cost of a meal?" Lin Zhichao asked immediately.

They are all bulk carriers, and the cost of loading and unloading is also quite a lot. Of course, it is only for Hong Kong.

A senior staff member immediately said: "Our loading and unloading cost is about 1.2 US dollars per ton, which is only a quarter of that in the United States. The cost has not changed much. However, our loading and unloading cost should be higher among Hong Kong shipping companies, mainly for seafarers. Wages are generally higher.”

The official salary of global shipping is 150 Hong Kong dollars per month, double salary at the end of the year, and enjoys benefits on holidays. There are two holidays per year, each with 12 days. If you work overtime during holidays, you will enjoy double pay, and some singles will choose not to take vacations.

Superior welfare is an important reason for the high quality of global shipping seafarers. And after the first three-year contract period expires, the benefits can be improved again, and the annual leave alone can be taken twice, each time for 15 days.

Lin Zhichao asked again: "What is the average salary of American sailors?"

“$500 a month”

The difference is huge, a full twenty times. But this is not the limit. Salaries in the United States rose rapidly in the 1950s. Seafarers' salaries could reach nearly US$2,000 per month in 1960, an increase of four times.

By 1960, Hong Kong's seamen's salary was only HK$300 per month at most, and the gap between the two had reached 40 times.

This is because Hong Kong has cheap labor from the Mainland. As long as there is a shortage of people, it will be relaxed a little and people will immediately come in like a torrent. In the previous life, in 1956, a hundred flowers bloomed and a hundred schools of thought contended in the Mainland. Hong Kong also opened its borders for a while, immediately increasing its population by 60,000 to 70,000 people, which frightened the Hong Kong government into closing it down again. This wave of people alleviated the problem of insufficient labor, because at that time there were many construction sites and factories with many workers.

"The remuneration committee remembers to come up with a salary increase plan for seafarers. What is the appropriate increase for this year? It will be submitted to me later."

"OK"

Everyone couldn't help admiring the boss's generosity.

For Lin Zhichao, now that the war has stopped, he will naturally consider raising wages to increase the enthusiasm of sailors. Moreover, Global Shipping increases wages every year, usually 10 to 30 yuan a time.

The cost of loading and unloading is high, and there is indeed a solution, that is, the "container" can greatly reduce the cost of loading and unloading. However, Lin Zhichao did not have the ability and energy to develop containers. What's more, even if a container freight system is developed, it will take more than ten years to become popular.

But there is one thing, if he can become a pioneer in the development of containers, he can bring great influence to his shipping business. Shipping requires influence, just like the high-profile lifestyle of Orasis in Greece, which is also a kind of propaganda.

It is also difficult for unknown small ship owners and customers to choose you to cooperate, because they are not at ease.

So Lin Zhichao was planning to publish a magazine or book about "container shipping" to increase his popularity; as far as he knew, Dong Haoyun had published books and magazines in the past few years, which was also a way to promote himself.

"By the way, Dong Haoyun of Jinshan Shipping, roughly how many tonnage ships does he currently own?" Lin Zhichao asked such a question in the conference room.

Only by knowing yourself and the enemy can you be victorious in every battle.

Gao Qiqiang immediately said: "As far as I know, Jinshan Shipping's ships have been increasing rapidly in recent months. They are all 10,000-ton cargo ships. I heard that the number has exceeded 100,000 tons, and it is estimated to be about 100,000 to 150,000 tons."

Lin Zhichao nodded and said: "It should be about the same figure. His two 10,000-ton ships were requisitioned for three years, which also earned him six or seven 10,000-ton cargo ships. Coupled with the support of Taiwan Island, this increased to More than 100,000 tons is reasonable."

Afterwards, the topic was no longer discussed.

Although there is only the last strong opponent left, Lin Zhichao has no habit of vicious competition.

Now Zhao Congyan and Cao Wenjin could not get ahead before the 1960s, so there is no need to worry about it; Bao Yugang is missing two arms - with the full support of HSBC and the credibility of the Japanese shipping industry, there is no need to worry about it.

Even if the remaining Dong Haoyun develops according to the scale of his previous life, it will not affect Lin Zhichao.

After dinner, Lin Zhichao brought Tang Caiyun and Xu Caiying to the third floor. Because the three of them were too noisy, and there were children on the second floor who needed to be taken care of, Wu Wenying never lived on the third floor from the beginning, and she and Lin Xiner always lived on the second floor.

Even so, the sound insulation effect of buildings in this era can be described as hard to describe. Fortunately, the family is all women, except for Lin Zhichao, there are only three children.

Tang Caiyun said coquettishly to Lin Zhichao who was sitting on the sofa: "You didn't know to come up later, so at least it wouldn't be so obvious. Just after the meal was finished, you hurriedly pulled us two sisters up."

Xu Caiying also protested: "That's right, you, the head of the family, are becoming more and more out of shape. Xin'er is always talking about you behind your back, you are a ridiculous and stupid king."

Lin Zhichao blushed, and said, "This girl has been raised for nothing for so many years, and she will get married early after graduating from university, so as not to wander around at home."

Xu Caiying immediately said: "You can take it. Even though she talks about you like this, you are her idol. She is already twenty years old and has never fallen in love with a boy. She may not find her brother in this life. Half a good man; and you dote on her so much that you don't care if she marries or not. I see, I'm afraid you're going to grow up to be an old girl."

Lin Zhichao immediately said: "Don't talk nonsense, I definitely hope that she will marry a good family, the right family, knowledge and character must be worthy of it?"

Tang Caiyun immediately exclaimed in surprise: "The right family? Do you still need to be educated and be worthy of it? I think you might as well tell her not to look for her."

When Lin Zhichao thought about it, it was really difficult, and he was in the same family. There are several Chinese families who can be in the same family as the Lin family in the future.

Knowledge and character, Lin Xiner will start studying in the United States next year, it must be a famous school, and she is expected to graduate at the age of 25;

In terms of character, Lin Xiner is a good girl.

Of course, being a good girl is not necessarily a good thing. I hope she will go abroad to live alone next year, so that she can be more independent and assertive.

Lin Zhichao hopes that Lin Xiner will join his hotel business after returning to Hong Kong.

"This thing is fate. You two sisters-in-law, don't worry about it. If you don't marry well, it's better not to marry at all. I can afford to be your brother. Remember, you are not allowed to interfere in the future."

"Know it!"

Xu Caiying muttered, "Fortunately, you are brothers and sisters."

Lin Zhichao immediately scolded: "What nonsense are you talking about? It's just a better relationship. After all, elder brothers are like fathers. Even cousins, that's against human relations."

For example, Ho Tung's grandson Ho Hung-cheung had a romantic relationship with his cousin Ho Wan-chi, and they had children and grandchildren. The two had the same great-grandfather, and their grandfathers were brothers. The important thing is that He Wanqi still has a husband. Based on these alone, He Wanqi was manipulated by Brother Ninth for decades, and it was not until later that she got into trouble because of property matters.

Of course, according to the laws of later generations, the same great-grandfather can legally marry because they are not within three generations; but Ho Wanqi is a married woman after all, and she and Ho Hongzhang had an extramarital affair and gave birth to a child.

In this era, there was no television, let alone computers, so life at night was boring. Of course, if you have a strong body and two beautiful girls, it will be fun.

In the living room, two sleeping beauties lie on their sides on the sofa, with their jade legs lined up and forming steep peaks, which is a feast for the eyes.

"Try to finish it in two hours. I still want to see my son!" Xu Caiying said deliberately.

Lin Zhichao slapped her on the thigh, and the feeling of sexual intercourse came over him, and then said: "My son will watch it tomorrow morning, and let's talk about how two hours is enough."

Isn’t this still a preparatory activity?