A shipping agency, shipping agent, or ship agency is the term used to refer to the appointed companies that handle operational and procedural (legal) requirements for a

commercial vessel A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...

's call at a

port A port is a maritime facility comprising one or more wharves or loading areas, where ships load and discharge cargo and passengers. Although usually situated on a sea coast or estuary, ports can also be found far inland, such as Hamburg, Manch ...

for the purposes of

cargo In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in cas ...

handling (loading/discharging), emergency calls, repairs, crew changes, or ship demolition, and protect the general interests of their principals on behalf of ship owners, disponent owners, or charterers in an objective manner. There are several categories of shipping agencies such as: ''port agents'', ''liner agents,'' and ''own agencies'', each rendering specific services depending on the

shipping company A shipping line or shipping company is a company whose line of business is ownership and operation of ships. Shipping companies provide a method of distinguishing ships by different kinds of cargo: # Bulk cargo is a type of special cargo that is ...

they represent. This separation between different types of ship agencies depends on the main segments of the cargo transport systems which are bulk shipping, specialized shipping and liner shipping. Today's shipping market has evolved into three separate but closely connected segments: bulk shipping, specialized shipping, and liner shipping. Although these segments belong to the same industry, each carries out different tasks and has a very different character. Therefore, under each segment, there are different functions, areas of responsibility, and operational tasks given to the ship agencies. As the nature of ship agency business, the ship agent is any person or company that carries out the functions of an agent. Under English Law, an agency relationship arises when one person (who is called the agent) is considered by law as authorised to represent another person (called the principal) in such a way as to be able to affect the principal's legal position. They can be in business as a ship agent, or they perform such functions as an adjunct to, or conjunction with, other activities such as ship owning or operating, providing cargo handling, or similar. Shipping agents will usually take care of all the regular routine tasks of a shipping company quickly and efficiently. They ensure that essential supplies, crew transfers,

customs Customs is an authority or Government agency, agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling International trade, the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out ...

documentation, and waste declarations are all arranged with the

port authorities A port authority (less commonly a port district) is a governmental or quasi-governmental public authority for a special-purpose district usually formed by a legislative body (or bodies) to operate ports and other transportation infrastructure. ...

without delay. Quite often, they also provide the shipping company with updates and reports on activities at the destination port so that shipping companies have real-time information available to them while goods are in transit.

Tasks and responsibilities

The term "shipping agent" refers to the relationship between the principal (in this case the shipping company conveying the goods) and its representative. The principal, expressly or impliedly, authorizes the agent to work under his control and on his behalf. The responsibilities/competencies as well as the

remuneration Remuneration is the pay or other financial compensation provided in exchange for an employee's ''services performed'' (not to be confused with giving (away), or donating, or the act of providing to). Remuneration is one component of reward managem ...

of the agent may be explicitly entered into a

contract A contract is an agreement that specifies certain legally enforceable rights and obligations pertaining to two or more parties. A contract typically involves consent to transfer of goods, services, money, or promise to transfer any of thos ...

which has been concluded between himself and the

ship owner A shipowner, ship owner or ship-owner is the owner of a ship. They can be merchant vessels involved in the shipping industry or non commercially owned. In the commercial sense of the term, a shipowner is someone who equips and exploits a ship, us ...

. This practice is very common in the cargo trade, booking agents, etc. The duties of a cargo broker are similar to those of a shipping agent, but may also vary. For example, a cargo broker will also book outward cargo and inform the shippers on which

quay A wharf ( or wharfs), quay ( , also ), staith, or staithe is a structure on the shore of a harbour or on the bank of a river or canal where ships may dock to load and unload cargo or passengers. Such a structure includes one or more Berth (mo ...

and when the goods are to be presented and when loading and unloading is due to start. He will draw up booking lists according to the incoming bookings and ensure that the

manifest Manifest may refer to: Computing * Manifest file, a metadata file that enumerates files in a program or package * Manifest (CLI), a metadata text file for CLI assemblies Events * Manifest (convention), a defunct anime festival in Melbourne, Au ...

department collects the shipping documents (shipping permits, bills of lading) which are necessary to commence the loading and unloading operations. The collected documents are also compared with the booking lists. Responsibilities of Shipping Agents Include: * Ensuring a berth for the incoming ship * Arranging for the pilot and the

tugs A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, such ...

if necessary * Drawing up the documents for the customs and harbor services * Arranging for the necessary ship fresh water / provisions * Arranging for a doctor in case the crew needs medical assistance * Arranging for storage bunkers if these are needed * Arranging for necessary repairs * Conveying instructions to and from the ship owner * Organizing the supply, transport and the handling of the goods * Organizing the necessary contacts with the

stevedore A dockworker (also called a longshoreman, stevedore, docker, wharfman, lumper or wharfie) is a waterfront manual laborer who loads and unloads ships. As a result of the intermodal shipping container revolution, the required number of dockwork ...

s * Collecting freights, cargoes * Contacting shippers and the receivers of the goods In the case of damage to cargo or the ship, the shipping agent also makes the necessary arrangements (at the request of the ship's master or owner) with the

insurance Insurance is a means of protection from financial loss in which, in exchange for a fee, a party agrees to compensate another party in the event of a certain loss, damage, or injury. It is a form of risk management, primarily used to protect ...

company, and for nautical inspections and the services of experts or

surveyors Surveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, art, and science of determining the terrestrial two-dimensional or three-dimensional positions of points and the distances and angles between them. These points are usually on the ...

, etc. The specific tasks of a cargo broker or port agent include: * Providing the necessary information concerning the

freight rate A freight rate (historically and in ship chartering simply freight) is a price at which a certain cargo is delivered from one point to another. The price depends on the form of the cargo, the mode of transport (truck, ship, train, aircraft), the ...

s and the publication of the sailing lists * Looking for cargo via notices and sailing lists * Booking of cargo and the conclusion of the agreements * Drawing up, initiating and delivering the required documents (booking lists, shipping permits, delivery orders) related to the cargo * Contacting the shippers/ forwarders with regard to the deliveries for shipment * Fulfilling the necessary formalities regarding the delivery and reception of the goods (

etc.) * Settling cargo claims with insurance companies

Fees

Shipping agents or port agents receive a fee called an agency fee for their services.

References

{{reflist Shipping Automotive industry

Tasks and responsibilities

Fees

See also

References