Charterama

“With amnis, we cut our international payment fees by over 50% and save around €25,000 per year. That’s money we can reinvest into our business.”

Lucien Lesuis

CFO , Charterama

Company info

Company: Charterama

Industry: Insurance

Number of employees: 25

Customer since: 2025

Global activity: Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe

Did you know?

Charterama processes thousands of international payments each year – with 90% of incoming funds in USD and payouts across four continents.

With amnis, the company routes payments via local schemes instead of SWIFT, reducing international transaction costs by over 50%.

Thanks to the Exact Online integration, 100% of payments, FX trades, and card expenses sync automatically – eliminating manual bookkeeping.

Global insurance expertise with a niche focus

Charterama, based in Rotterdam, is an insurance provider specialised in charterers liability coverage for international shipping. With around 25 employees and offices in Paris and Hong Kong, the company operates globally and holds a leading position in its niche, serving high-volume marine insurance clients with dynamic financial demands.

THE CHALLENGE

High FX costs, rigid banking, and operational friction

Handling thousands of international transactions per year, Charterama receives most of its incoming payments in USD, while outgoing payments are made across dozens of global currencies. This created growing cost and efficiency issues.

Their local Dutch house bank offered limited flexibility and no interest on large USD balances, despite the company’s substantial cash flow of several million euros. Cross-border SWIFT payments added further pressure, with fees of €5–€25 per transaction regardless of amount. With thousands of such transactions annually, the cumulative costs were staggering.

Corporate cards were another pain point. Fixed limits, no instant top-ups, and slow support made them unsuitable for frequent international travel. At one point, CFO Lucien Lesuis was even locked out of a hotel room in Vancouver due to a maxed-out card limit – with no immediate way to resolve the issue because of time-zone delays and bank dependency.

Traditional banking tools were no longer keeping up with Charterama’s global reality.

As an international marine insurance provider, we depend on seamless global cash flows across multiple currencies. amnis provides the financial infrastructure that allows us to operate efficiently and grow internationally with confidence.

Lucien Lesuis

CFO

THE SOLUTION

Modern, transparent global finance with amnis

In early 2025, Charterama decided to switch to amnis.The initial contact with Lars de Zeeuw, amnis’ Benelux country manager, played an important role, as the personal exchange built trust from the start. Ultimately, the decision was driven by clear advantages: significantly lower transaction costs, transparent FX pricing, flexible debit cards, and seamless control over global payments.

When Charterama required integration with its accounting system, amnis ensured a fast and structured implementation together with its integration partner BrainStax. The result was a seamless transition with no disruption to daily operations, eliminating the need to manually enter thousands of transactions per year and significantly reducing time spent on pre-accounting.

Lower costs, smarter payments: By using local payment schemes instead of SWIFT, Charterama saves tens of thousands of euros annually. FX pricing is transparent and competitive, eliminating hidden fees.
Flexible debit cards: amnis cards can be topped up instantly, with limits adjusted at any time via self-service. Expenses are documented digitally in the app, with receipts attached directly to each transaction, supporting structured pre-accounting and reducing administrative effort.
Seamless accounting integration: Together with integration partner BrainStax, amnis enabled a direct connection to Exact Online. Payments, FX transactions, and card expenses now sync automatically, eliminating manual transaction entry and reducing administrative effort.

0 SWIFT fees

on local payments

€25,000+

annual savings

0% FX margin

on card spend

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A reliable partner for a growing global business

In a fast-moving, international market like marine insurance, efficiency, flexibility, and trust matter. For Charterama, amnis has delivered on all three.

amnis’ responsiveness and structured approach were decisive. Recognising the importance of seamless accounting workflows, amnis enabled the Exact Online integration together with its partner BrainStax. The implementation was delivered with clear timelines, transparent communication, and reliable execution – qualities CFO Lucien Lesuis values highly.

“amnis delivers exactly what we need – and fast. We feel supported and in control. It’s a simple, powerful solution that scales with us.”

Beyond this, amnis supports Charterama’s global operations with multi-currency accounts enabling smooth, fast, and cost-efficient incoming and outgoing payments in USD, HKD, SGD, GBP, CHF, and more – with interest passed on for their USD balance. Thanks to local payment rails, transactions to lawyers, shipowners, and partners worldwide are now more efficient and affordable.

While the team currently uses five debit cards, they are ready to scale as the company grows. With physical and virtual cards, configurable limits, country restrictions, and instant top-ups, amnis provides a future-proof alternative to legacy bank cards – making life easier both at the office and on the road.

Similar challenges?
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If this story sounds familiar, you’re not alone – many companies face the same obstacles. That’s why more than 4,000 businesses trust amnis to simplify cross-border finance. Our team is ready to discuss your pain points and show how your business can benefit, too.

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