About Us
Our History
Norstar was established in London U.K. by Chris Bonehill in 1998, with a vision to build a maritime business grounded in expertise and long-term partnerships. In 2005, brothers Chris and Tom Bonehill combined their strengths to grow Norstar’s global reach — Chris leading operations in the West, and Tom in the East. As sons of a captain, the Bonehill brothers have been immersed in the maritime world from a young age. Frequent visits onboard vessels during their upbringing gave them first-hand insight into ship operations and life at sea, fostering a deep respect for seafarers and the importance of cohesive crews. This lifelong connection to the industry shapes Norstar’s commitment to delivering exceptional service. The Group’s core values — Integrity, Pride, Resilience, Quality, Accountability, and Community — have been forged through decades of experience and continue to guide every decision across the organisation.
TIMELINE
1998 – 2001: Norstar Shipping (UK) Ltd, Chelsea, London, UK.
2001 – 2012: Norstar Monaco SAM.
2005 – Present: Norstar Shipping (Asia) Pte Ltd, Singapore.
2009 – Present: Norstar Ship Management Pte Ltd, Singapore.
2012 – Present: Norstar Shipping (USA) LLC, Westport CT, USA.
2015 – Present: Norstar Crew Management Co Limited, Yangon, Myanmar.
2016 – Present: Norstar Chartering (USA) LLC, Westport CT, USA.
2016 – Present: Norstar Shipping & Trading Ltd, BVI.
2023 – Present: Norstar Chartering Services DMCC, Dubai, UAE.
2023 – Present: Norstar Global Recruitment Singapore Pte Ltd, Singapore.
2023 – Present: Norstar Global Recruitment Limited, Yangon, Myanmar.
2024 – Present: Norstar Global Recruitment Japan KK, Tokyo, Japan.
* The Norstar Group of Companies is comprised of the abovementioned companies.
At Our Core
Mission & Vision
Our Mission
To deliver safe, efficient, and reliable transportation and logistics services that enable our partners to perform their operations at the highest standards and accomplish the outcomes they seek.
Our Vision
A sustainable planet and global well-being - created by partnership collaborations which are innovative, complementary and scalable.
Our Values
Values are ideals that shape our company's culture. Our values are reflected in how we run our business and our ethics in dealing with our stakeholders.
Integrity
Honesty is the foundation for any long-lasting partnership. We are truthful and transparent in the way we communicate. Our partners and stakeholders trust that we honour our commitment.
Quality
We always strive for excellence in everything we do and continuously seek ways to improve and do things better. Planning and preparation are a constant.
Community
We are in a people’s business and value strong relationships with our stakeholders. We are committed to our responsibilities in the communities we live, work and operate in.
Pride
Our pride in our work is the thread that ties us all together. We share the same passion which has greatly motivated, inspired and empowered each of us.
Accountability
We are committed to owning our actions. We understand and accept the consequences of our decisions for areas in which we take responsibility.
Resilience
We encourage and promote a resilient mindset so that we see the opportunity in challenges. This mindset allows us to embrace change, think out of the box, and have the agility to pursue innovations in sustainable solutions
Our Leadership Team
Norstar’s management team comprises senior executives with extensive experience in shipping, investment and finance.
Chris Bonehill
Chief Executive Officer, Norstar Shipping (USA) LLC
Chris followed his passion for shipping and dedicated his career to the industry at the age of 18. Chris started his career as a shipbroker during 1991–1998, working for 2 major internationally renowned companies, and achieved success at an early age. In 1998 (at the age of 27), Chris decided he wanted to focus on ship owning and ship management and established Norstar’s first office in Chelsea, London. Norstar purchased its first owned ship, a chemical tanker, in 2002. Chris joined forces with his brother Tom in 2005. Together, they have built Norstar Group “ground-up,” now operating in 5 global offices across Asia/Far East, Middle East, and North America, encompassing all ship management functions in-house, and expanding into the global recruitment business for the hospitality and healthcare sectors. Chris has extensive experience working with sophisticated investor partners (family offices and private equity funds) and major international lending banks, maintaining a high standard of reporting to all stakeholders. Since 2001, Chris has been based in the Westport, CT, USA office, which is close to New York City.
Connect with Chris on LinkedIn
Tom Bonehill
Managing Director, Norstar Shipping (Asia) Pte Ltd
Tom moved to Asia in 1993, initially spending a year in Jakarta, followed by a year serving onboard a merchant navy vessel. Between 1995 and 1997, Tom worked as an apprentice shipbroker in Hong Kong. In 1997, Tom moved to Singapore, where he gained significant commercial experience. In 2005, Tom set up Norstar’s Singapore office in partnership with his brother, Chris Bonehill. Over the years, Tom has developed an extensive network with a focus on Southeast Asia and Japan. Tom led Norstar's expansion in Singapore with the establishment of Norstar Ship Management Pte Ltd, followed by the development of all other aspects of chartering, operational, and technical management for the Norstar fleet. This includes in-house and 3rd party managed tonnage. Tom is based in the Norstar Singapore Office and co-leads the Norstar Group of Companies with his brother, Chris. Tom leads Norstar’s impact strategies, with a particular emphasis on Group operations, staff/crew well-being, and communities, whilst overseeing the offices in Asia. Tom also leads the Group’s non-maritime recruitment activities as the Co-owner of Norstar Global Recruitment, which is headquartered in Singapore. Tom became a Singaporean in 2024 after 28 years of residing in Singapore.
Connect with Tom on LinkedIn
Dr. Lars Gruenitz
Managing Director, Norstar Ship Management Pte Ltd
Lars commenced his career in building naval submarines before moving into various technical and commercial leadership roles with Germanischer Lloyd in Europe and Asia. He subsequently joined a shipowner in Jakarta as their COO and, headed the ship management, chartering and corporate side of the business. He was the Managing Director for Thome Ship Management in Thailand, where he managed tankers and offshore vessels on time charter for various oil majors. Before joining Norstar, Lars spent 5 years as Head of Vessel Management and Process improvement for Berge Bulk. He focused on driving down vessel running costs while improving the fleet's quality and performance.Lars holds a doctoral degree in Naval Architecture and is passionate about driving a behaviour-based safety culture and digital transformation to improve ship's safety and performance. Lars is now based in Norstar Singapore Office as a Managing Director of Norstar Ship Management Pte Ltd.
Connect with Lars on LinkedIn