A shipping agency or shipping agent is the designated person or agency held responsible for handling shipments and

cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including trans ...

, and the general interests of its customers, at

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 Ham ...

s and

harbor A harbor (American English), harbour (British English; see spelling differences), or haven is a sheltered body of water where ships, boats, and barges can be docked. The term ''harbor'' is often used interchangeably with ''port'', which is a ...

s worldwide, on behalf of

ship owners A ship is a large watercraft that travels the world's oceans and other sufficiently deep waterways, carrying cargo or passengers, or in support of specialized missions, such as defense, research, and fishing. Ships are generally distinguished ...

, managers, and charterers. In some parts of the world, these agents are referred to as port agents or cargo brokers. There are several categories of shipping agents 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. In other words, a ship agent is any person or company that carries out the functions of an agent. 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 agency in a country responsible for collecting tariffs and for controlling the flow of goods, including animals, transports, personal effects, and hazardous items, into and out of a country. Traditionally, customs ...

documentation, and waste declarations are all arranged with the

port authorities In Canada and the United States, 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 t ...

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

Succinctly, 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). A number of complementary benefits in additio ...

of the agent may be explicitly entered into a

contract A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between two or more parties that creates, defines, and governs mutual rights and obligations between them. A contract typically involves the transfer of goods, services, money, or a promise to tran ...

which has been concluded between himself and the

ship owner A ship-owner is the owner of a merchant vessel (commercial ship) and is involved in the shipping industry. In the commercial sense of the term, a shipowner is someone who equips and exploits a ship, usually for delivering cargo at a certain fre ...

. 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, 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 berths (mooring location ...

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, Aus ...

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 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 stevedore (), also called a longshoreman, a docker or a dockworker, is a waterfront manual laborer who is involved in loading and unloading ships, trucks, trains or airplanes. After the shipping container revolution of the 1960s, the number o ...

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 hedge ...

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. A land surveying professional is ca ...

, 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 w ...

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

Tasks and responsibilities

Fees

See also

References