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About us

We are Closelink.

A technology company in the maritime industry.

We believe that every shipping company, no matter the fleet size or setup, should have the tools to make smarter, more strategic procurement decisions.

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How it started

Closelink was founded in Hamburg with a simple goal: to use technology to make marine lubricant procurement easier, more transparent, and more efficient. Our team of technologists, maritime professionals, and data experts came together to tackle one of the shipping industry's most overlooked cost drivers.

We aim to bring clarity and control to every step of the process. Together, we have built a digital platform that simplifies complex workflows, increases transparency, and helps purchasers unlock real cost savings.

How it's going

Today, Closelink powers procurement teams across the globe. Here’s what we have achieved so far.

Ships icon
184,423,251
16,063
2,064

registered ships

supplier icon
184,423,251
16,063
2,064

litres ordered

Closelink Order icon
184,423,251
16,063
2,064

orders supplied

Leaders in innovation

Closelink is recognized as a leader in maritime innovation, setting new standards for efficiency and transparency in procurement.
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Our impact is highlighted globally, from inclusion in the Thetius 150 to the BSFZ innovation certification by the German government for our in-house R&D.

Strategic partners

Closelink is backed by industry leaders who share our commitment to setting a new standard in maritime procurement

OKEE Maritime Logo

Okee VC

A forward-looking venture capital firm, combining capital investment with strategic and operational expertise.

Signal Logo

Signal Ventures

Maritime investor offering strategic insights and broad resources.

ShipsFocus Logo

ShipsFocus VCC

A maritime venture studio supporting Closelink with domain expertise, network access, and hands-on operational support.

Business integrity

Compliance, fairness, and integrity are fundamental principles that shape our identity and drive our actions.
‍
Download our Code of Ethics to learn more.

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The team

Faces of Closelink

We’re a diverse team with deep shipping expertise and smart technology, solving complex challenges with practical solutions.

All
Management
Customer Success
Engineering
Product
Commercial
Philippe Lavarde
Philippe Lavarde
CEO & Co-Founder
Tobias Schumacher
Tobias Schumacher
Co-Founder, Engineering
Jonas Reitmann
Jonas Reitmann
CTO
Julian Blohm
Julian Blohm
Engineering
Ben Dzaebel
Ben Dzaebel
Engineering
Steffen Karspeck
Steffen Karspeck
Design
Marta Kazmierska
Marta Kazmierska
Product
Dennis Kohlmann
Dennis Kohlmann
Engineering
Mitra Korkmaz
Mitra Korkmaz
Customer Success
Aneeshmon Thankappan
Aneeshmon Thankappan
Regional Business Development
Philippe Lavarde
Philippe Lavarde
CEO & Co-Founder
Jonas Reitmann
Jonas Reitmann
CTO
Mitra Korkmaz
Mitra Korkmaz
Customer Success
Jonas Reitmann
Jonas Reitmann
CTO
Tobias Schumacher
Tobias Schumacher
Co-Founder, Engineering
Julian Blohm
Julian Blohm
Engineering
Ben Dzaebel
Ben Dzaebel
Engineering
Dennis Kohlmann
Dennis Kohlmann
Engineering
Marta Kazmierska
Marta Kazmierska
Product
Steffen Karspeck
Steffen Karspeck
Design
Philippe Lavarde
Philippe Lavarde
CEO & Co-Founder
Aneeshmon Thankappan
Aneeshmon Thankappan
Business Development
Lead by example icon
Lead by example

We inspire each other to exceed our potential by demonstration, encouragement and the freedom to learn from mistakes.

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Stay hungry to perform

We aim to deliver extraordinary achievements, work with passion and act with persistence.

Take ownership
Take ownership

We face challenges with determination, take responsibility for our actions and aim to deliver valuable outcomes in all our endeavours.

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Embrace diversity

We embrace different personalities, strengths, ideas and cultural backgrounds to encourage pluralism in debate and opinion.

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Strive for personal development

We seek new challenges to push ourselves beyond personal boundaries and to expand our experience and capabilities.

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Motivate and inspire

We value a working culture that promotes flexibility, creativity and joy.

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Treat each other with respect

We treat each other with respect to establish a safe, supportive and productive work environment.

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Culture

Team values

Picture of Chye Poh Chua

Chye Poh Chua

Venturist for maritime digitalisation, inclusivity & sustainability

“While innovators see opportunity in change, they must also make that change happen. The Closelink founders understand this, so instead of attempting to change the maritime world as a whole, they specifically chose to implement change in a particular field: marine-lubricant procurement, where they show a very strong advantage and offer tangible benefits.”

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News

Read recent stories

Insights
Product

Building a more resilient lubricants procurement

How Closelink combines demand forecasting, operational visibility, and supplier collaboration into one proactive procurement workflow.
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Insights

Lubricant prices and volumes rise in April amid ongoing supply disruption

A tightening supply environment continues to push prices higher across global marine lubricant hubs.
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Insights

Supply constraints: what procurement and supply teams need to do now

Why fragmented processes are no longer sufficient - and how connected supply chains improve visibility, speed, and resilience.
Read more
Insights

Lubricant supply is tightening: how Hormuz disruptions are impacting procurement

Geopolitical tensions are constraining supply flows, reducing availability across key Asian ports, and forcing procurement teams to adapt.
Read more
Insights

Demand forecasting, the missing layer in maritime procurement

Learn why marine lubricant purchasing is still a reactive task and how fleet-wide demand visibility can unlock better planning, lower costs, and fewer supply risks.
Read more
Product
Insights

Four steps to implement demand forecasting

How shipping companies can turn fragmented fleet data into a structured demand forecast using a few practical implementation steps.
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