More on agency services

Agency services are indissolubly connected with international character of the merchant shipping. When a ship is entering the port, certain operations need to be performed. They are handling operations, bunkerage, settlement of accounts and payments, and so on. Marine agents employed by ship owners perform these operations with maximum efficiency.

The marine agent acts under the instruction, in favor and on behalf of, a ship owner. The agent handles formal relations of the ship owner with cargo owners, stevedoring companies, and organizations engaged in port servicing of vessels.

Agent Duties

Generally, marine agents are under an obligation to:

comply with all formalities and requirements related to port calls and exits (customs and sanitary service inspections, payment of statutory duties, receipt of various documents, etc.);
prepare and process documents;
provide a vessel with tugs, pilots in time;
render assistance in organizing and performing cargo operations;
organize fuel, water, food, etc. supply of a vessel;
promptly inform the ship owner on ship arrival, progress in handling and auxiliary operations, and other circumstances related to moorage, ship dispatch and quantity of carry cargo;
disburse all duties and expenses related to a ship (at the expense of the ship owner);
promptly inform the ship owner and shipmaster on customs, rules and stringent regulations, etc. existing in the port;
participate in the investigation subject to be conducted in the event of an accident, as well as in drawing of various statements of acts (related to accidents, examination and inspection);
carry out certain commissions of the shipmaster and ship owner.

Situation in Russia

Before 1991, agency services in the USSR were monopolized by the state which could not but have an impact on the course of development of this industry. The collapse of the USSR and implementation of the economic reforms changed the situation. Over the past few years, volume of carry cargoes distinctly increased, requirements for sea-going ships tightened, procedures of ship condition monitoring, and control of environmental, sanitary and radiological safety. The role of the marine agent enhanced due to these changes.

Currently, the market of agency services for sea-going ships is flooded with a great number of rival companies. Not only Russian companies aggressively move the agency service market, but also agents from Ukraine, Belarus, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Greece, Belgium, China and others.