A century-old wealthy family that rose from Shanghai

Gande Road, a two-bedroom villa.

Chen Wenjin came to Hong Kong from the United States, both to represent Audrey Toys and Huatai Plastics in communicating the supply chain, and also to express a sense of returning home.

In the evening, Chen Guangliang had dinner with the second wife's family. Although the two families often held gatherings, they actually lived their own lives.

Chen Wenjin, the eldest son of the second wife, has been working for a year, and the youthful look on his face is gradually fading.

Chen Leyi, the eldest daughter of the second wife, is eighteen years old this year and has been admitted to Yale University. She will be going to college soon.

Chen Wenhua, the second son of the second wife, is already fourteen years old this year;
Chen Wenhai, the youngest son of the second wife, is only four years old this year.

The six of them were having dinner together when Chen Leyi said to her father in a coquettish tone, "Dad, I really don't want to leave you. How about I go to university in Hong Kong?"

Chen Guangliang looked at his beautiful daughter with a hint of fear—some 'yellow-haired bastard' had led her away. But naturally, he couldn't spoil her like he did when she was little; it was time to let her go out and live an independent life.

"Hong Kong is too small; only by venturing out can we have a better future!"

"I don't want to become a businessman like my brothers; my profession is law!"

"Wrong! The legal profession is one of the best sources of CEOs. How could my daughter go and work for someone else!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Leyi was overjoyed.

After dinner and a brief chat with everyone, Chen Guangliang called Jiang Meiying and Chen Wenjin to his study to discuss matters.

"When you go to the United States this time, you should immediately start selling stocks, and finish selling them off by mid-October."

The second wife holds approximately US$3000 million in securities and US$1500 million in real estate, bringing her total wealth to around US$5000 million.

Chen Wenjin asked suspiciously, "Dad, what's the reason this time? I don't feel anything at all?"

Jiang Meiying immediately scolded, "You, do you really think you're the CEO? I told you to follow me and learn how to run a business, but you've got your sights set on higher and higher, and you don't know how to look down at the ground or be down-to-earth!"

"Me? What do you mean?"

"You still say no? Weren't you thinking of starting your own business?"

“I only mentioned it to you briefly, why did you take it so seriously? Even if I had this idea, I would only do it later, after my father agrees.”

Chen Guangliang immediately replied, "I will not agree to any of your personal ideas about starting a business."

Chen Wenjin immediately lowered her head in disappointment and said, "I'll listen to my father anyway."

Chen Guangliang then said, "Your mother already knows why you cashed out the securities this time. She'll tell you when you get to the US. By the way, take some time to thoroughly research American commercial real estate. Also, I'll send you some information about 'shopping malls' later. Study it carefully and refer to American commercial real estate data."

Chen Wenjin suddenly looked up and exclaimed in surprise, "Real estate?"

Chen Guangliang waved his hand and said, "You may be smarter than your older brother, but you're not as patient. So you should get into real estate. As long as you keep your debt ratio low, you'll never go bankrupt in your lifetime."

He planned to have Chen Wenjin enter the American commercial real estate market, starting with 'Westfield' and gradually becoming the king of Western commercial real estate.

Of course, while engaging in real estate, one can also participate in securities investment and other investments.

Two months later.

On October 29, Israeli troops surrounded Gaza and advanced into the Sinai Peninsula.

The following day, October 30, Britain and France demanded that both Egypt and Israel withdraw from the canal. However, Israeli forces had not actually advanced to that point. After Egypt rejected the ultimatum, Britain and France bombed Egyptian air bases, and paratroopers landed at Port Said and occupied the northern section of the canal.

On the same day, the United States introduced a resolution in the UN Security Council demanding that Egypt and Israel cease hostilities.

The Suez Canal was subsequently closed, and 47 Egyptian ships sank, effectively ending navigation on the Suez Canal.

At that time, all of Europe's oil needed to be transported from the Middle East, and most of America's oil also needed to be transported from the Middle East.

The Suez Canal is an essential passage.

Otherwise, oil tankers would have to round the Cape of Good Hope to reach Europe and America.

However, this doubled the length of transport routes to Europe and America; in addition, the Cape of Good Hope is subject to strong winds and high waves, making it impossible for small oil tankers to pass.

In an instant, major ship owners around the world stopped shipping, driving up transportation prices.

The freight cost from the Middle East to Europe, which was originally $4 to $5 per ton, began to skyrocket, quickly rising to over $35 per ton.

With oil tanker shipping prices rising, cargo ship prices are naturally following suit. Many cargo ships that originally had to pass through the Suez Canal now have to detour around the Cape of Good Hope.

at this time.

Whoever owns a boat is the boss!
Major oil companies began frantically bidding for ships, no longer caring who owned them.

Freight costs skyrocketed. No one could accurately predict when the war would end, so seizing ships immediately was something the oil company owners had to do.

The war created a huge transportation vacuum because other shipowners' ships were either unable to join this highly profitable competition due to existing contracts, or were located in other distant places and could not arrive here in the short term.

Only Global Shipping can join shipments at any time at ports in Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Iraq, and other locations.

Esso's transportation manager, Niu Deng, reports to his superior:
“Mr. Rockefeller, our oil supply is very tight, and we need to ship it from the Middle East immediately. But now, those despicable ship owners are demanding exorbitant prices, with freight rates already exceeding $45 per ton, and they are still not satisfied!”

Rockefeller III immediately said, "Contact the Universal Group right away and tell them that as long as they complete our transportation task, we will establish a long-term cooperative mechanism. As for the freight rate, pay it according to the current rate, the same as the European and American shipowners! They have large oil tankers, and only they can meet our needs!"

At this point, the small oil tankers were no longer of any use.

Once oil reserves are depleted, the US economy will suffer.

"Okay, I'll contact Global Group right away!"

After Newton left, Rockefeller III fell into deep thought.

"Was it luck, or exceptional insight?"

He began to think about Chen Guangliang.

Oil companies conspired to bring down Chen Guangliang, but in the process, they made him one of the richest people in the world!

Jeddah Port.

Chen Guangcong looked excitedly at the large oil tanker of the Global Group in the port. He never dreamed that the Global Group would develop so quickly.

Freight costs have increased six or seven times, but the distance is only twice as far, and port hours will not increase. Moreover, the business is still very busy, so there is simply no time to stop.

"If we hold on to this market trend for a year, the Global Group will earn $8000 million." These were the words his elder brother told him before he left.

Goodness, 8000 million US dollars, which is equivalent to nearly 5 million Hong Kong dollars.

"Mr. Chen, Texaco, Esso, and Shell have all contacted us, hoping we can transport oil for them immediately!" his subordinate excitedly reported to Chen Guangcong.

"What's the price quote?"

"They're all quite high. Shell is quoting $35 per ton, Esso is quoting $46 per ton, and Texaco is quoting $47.5 per ton. Payment is made as soon as the funds arrive at the port, and business will not stop."

Chen Guangcong immediately replied, "Okay, we'll arrange transportation right away."

At his command, all of Global Shipping's oil tankers in Jeddah port immediately began loading oil.

In mid-November, a report by Western media once again brought the Global Group and "shipping magnate Chen Guangliang" into the world's spotlight. "With 400,000 tons of oil tankers in hand, exceeding the total number of oil tankers owned by Japan, the Global Group has become a master of the world economy."

"Chen Guangliang, a true world shipping magnate, a shipping magnate who owns ships with a total capacity of nearly one million tons!"

These news quickly reached Hong Kong, causing an uproar throughout the city!

They knew Chen Guangliang was wealthy, but they didn't expect him to be this wealthy.

The exact number of ships owned by the Global Group has always been a secret, but thanks to Western media, people can finally get a general idea.

"My God, I heard that the freight rate has risen to around $20 to $40 per ton. If we transport 1 million tons, wouldn't that be 20 to 30 million US dollars?"

"I don't think Global Group has a million tons; it's said to be 80 tons. But anyway, Global Group has made a fortune this time."

Tokyo.

In a conference room, Chen Guangliang, representing the Global Group, was negotiating with Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK).

Compared to the business practices in Europe and America, the Global Group operates differently in Japan, with Chen Guangliang preferring to focus on 'long-term contracts'.

In addition, Japanese shipping companies took the initiative to contact them, expressing their willingness to sign long-term contracts at high prices.

Genichi Yasuda, president of Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK), offered, "Mr. Chen, we are willing to sign contracts with our existing cargo ships and oil tankers at about three times the price, for a term of more than three years."

He was in too much of a hurry!

Freight rates are rising too fast right now, and there are no ships available.

Even though Japanese shipbuilding has become as advanced as Britain's, shipbuilding still takes time.

The cooperation agreements between Global Shipping and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK) have largely expired, including more than a dozen 2-ton cargo ships and two 2.2-ton oil tankers.

Some contracts were due to expire in July or August, but Universal Group was not in a hurry to renew long-term contracts.

Chen Guangliang said, "I'm not a greedy shipowner. Regarding cooperation with the Japanese shipping industry, I also prefer long-term contracts. After all, that's how it is in shipping; the difference between today and tomorrow can be huge."

Since the Japanese took the initiative to seek cooperation, he naturally agreed readily.

Although prices have been low for a long time, this shipping boom is expected to last until May or June next year. So if you sign a three-year contract at a high price, you will theoretically make about the same profit, or even a little more.

Of course, as Japan's partner, they are now worried about insufficient transport capacity, are eager to resume their transport business, and are even more concerned that the Suez Canal will not open for another year or two.

The price is three times higher than the long-term price this year, but in reality, short-term shipping costs have increased four or five times.

In his previous life, Bao Yugang happened to be working on an 8000-ton ship whose contract was expiring at that time. A Japanese client signed a new contract for the same ship at several times the price, which allowed him to expand his fleet.

Yasuda Genichi immediately exclaimed happily, "That's wonderful! Mr. Chen truly lives up to his reputation as a friend of Japan!"

He had worried beforehand that Chen Guangliang, in pursuit of higher profits, would adopt the same practices as Europe and the United States, offering high prices in the short term; or even sending Asian ships to Europe and the United States to earn more valuable dollars and pounds.

The next few days.

Chen Guangliang signed long-term contracts of 3 to 5 years with several large partner companies in Japan.

With these contracts in place, there was nothing to worry about throughout the 1950s.

Of course, the world shipping industry entered a period of stagnation in the late 1950s, roughly from 1959 to 1961.

In response to such a cycle, Chen Guangliang's approach was quite simple: as long as the debt ratio was not high, there was no need to worry; on the contrary, he should take advantage of this period of economic downturn, when shipbuilding was cheap, to expand on a large scale.

Chen Guangliang predicts that this wave of global shipping could earn $8000 million, which is clearly an underestimate.

How to use such a huge sum of money is a new issue that needs to be considered.

Go build a ship?

Obviously not. 1959 was the beginning of a shipping slump, and if shipbuilding had started in 1957, it would have coincided with that period.

If we were to build ships, we could only begin mass production in 1959.

At that time, Japan seemed capable of building 100,000-ton oil tankers, and the cost was much cheaper (Japan's construction costs were low to begin with, coupled with the shipping slump).

Of course, if suitable second-hand ships became available between 1957 and 1958, they could be added as needed.

and so.

If you earn $80 million, you should invest at least $20 million in global assets.

Hong Kong is still too small.

In fact, the Chen family not only profited from shipping in this wave of 'incidents,' but also from the stock markets in the United States and the United Kingdom.

This so-called profit is simply the result of clearing out all the stocks ahead of time.

Using the principle of buying low and selling high, we will start building positions again at the end of the year.

of course.

The profit from this is only a few million US dollars, which is hardly considered making a fortune.

However, given the current size of the Chen family, their future investments will certainly be very diversified.
The return on investment won't be as high as that of investments in Hong Kong, but even a 20% annual growth rate will amount to a staggering figure in the future.

At the port of New York, Chen Guangcong watched as large oil tankers from Global Shipping entered the port and were then unloaded by smaller oil tankers, since the port could not directly unload large oil tankers.

"Let's go, it's time to settle accounts with Esso Oil, and then immediately arrange for a ship to go to Jeddah Port." After arranging the unloading of oil, Chen Guangcong decisively led his men toward Esso Oil Company.

In just thirty-six days, $200 million was received; there is no business in the world that makes so much money.

Upon arriving at Esso Oil Company, the finance department promptly paid the money without any delay.

It's very simple. Today, World Shipping is saving Esso's life. Without World Shipping, the United States would be facing an oil shortage.

Niu Deng then said to Chen Guangcong, "Mr. Chen, please have your ships go to Jeddah Port immediately. They're waiting to load the cargo. This time, we'll offer $50 per ton!"

Good heavens, they're raising prices on their own initiative. Chen Guangcong knew in his heart that Esso Oil Company was short of oil.

He truly admired his elder brother; at that time, all the oil companies were begging Global Group for transportation.

Even after this storm passes, the Global Group will not lack business, nor will it be targeted again, because European and American ship owners are now much more ruthless than they were. Some ship owners are even offering $60 per ton, take it or leave it.

Compared to Global Group, not only can it transport more oil at once, solving the urgent needs of major companies, but the price can also be determined based on the market price.

“No problem. Our crew is more hardworking than the Americans. They don’t need rest and can head to Jeddah immediately. Besides, we are a new ship.”

“That’s great! I have a feeling that Hong Kong will become the next Greece, and your Worldwide Shipping will be Hong Kong’s shipping representative. Rest assured, we will consider long-term cooperation.”

"no problem"

Having received the money, Chen Guangcong naturally directed the fleet to set sail immediately.

All two thousand seafarers at Global Shipping were currently without leave, but none of them complained, as the company had promised a 15% pay rise. (End of Chapter)