By Michael Jones

May 22 - (The Insurer) - Travelers has bolstered its marine cargo unit with the hire of Starr Insurance's Oliver Corton, two senior marine market sources told The Insurer.

The sources said Corton will join Travelers as senior underwriter, cargo, and is expected start his new position later this year.

Corton has spent the last three years as a senior marine underwriter at Starr Insurance. This followed seven years at Hamilton Insurance Group, latterly as an underwriter in its marine practice.

The move has continued a busy period for the cargo talent market, which has come alongside an influx of capacity into the space.

MGA Amphitrite Underwriting announced in December that its cargo division had secured $25 million in underwriting capacity, Liberty Specialty Markets' Project Cargo Consortium lifted its capacity to $225 million in January this year, and Cincinnati Global Syndicate 318 entered the space for the 2025 year of account.

This influx of capacity led to a surprising degree of market softening, said Gallagher Specialty in November. However, the broker said this should not be seen as a return to the soft conditions of 2017.

Travelers and Starr Insurance did not immediately respond to a request for comment.