Agency – Ship Agent`s duties

Long before a ship enters a foreign port many formalities for clearing the ship inwards are carried out. In many countries port dues and charges are paid beforehand. Preliminary arrangements for tug-boats, pilots, medical and customs officers are made before the ship’s arrival. An appropriate berth must be secured beforehand too. As a rule cargo handling operations are planned and agreed upon with the consignees and port authorities in advance too.

It is quite evident then, that there must be someone in the port who could do such a lot of work in due time. Practically this work is done by ship agents.

Ship agents are mostly private companies which conclude special contracts or agreements with shipping companies. Under these agreements ship agents undertake to service to the ships owned or chartered by a shipping company. That means that the agent will do most of the work required from ships by local regulations and customs.

In general, the ship agent undertakes to perform the following functions: first of all, he protects and promotes in all respects, the interests of the ship and her shipowners. He takes all the measures to help the captain to discharge and load the ship as soon as possible in order to reduce ship’s port time.

If the cargo is loaded and discharged for the ship’s account, that is, if the cost of these operations is included in the rate of freight, the agent hires stevedores to do the job. On shipowner’s instructions the liner agent may canvass cargo and passengers to avoid unprofitable transit of the ship in ballast.

At the request of the shipowners the agent collects freight and other payments due to the ship. In such cases the money collected by the agent is immediately remitted to the shipowners.

The agent performs clearance of the ship, that is, he pays port dues and charges, helps the vessel officers to carry out the necessary formalities and obtains free pratique and permission for the vessel to enter or leave the port.

The agent undertakes to settle the ship’s disbursements. This means that he settles accounts with shipchandlers, suppliers, repair shops, stevedores and others or, in other words, he pays them money for the goods bought or the services rendered to the ship.

Later the shipping company refunds this money to the agents.

One more and a very important function is performed by the agent. He helps the captain to arrange receiving and delivering cargo alongside the vessel. He also helps him to settle claims arising between the vessel and other persons or organizations.

For servicing the ship the agent receives from the shipowners appropriate remuneration. The amount of this remuneration is fixed in the agreement.

4. Stevedoring operations.

The main purpose of stevedoring companies is to perform economic functions. They are responsible for loading/discharging operations, servicing of inbound/outbound Russia and foreign ships transportation, forwarding and warehousing operations, intermodal cargo handling operations, servicing of deep sea vessels’ passengers. To perform these functions stevedoring companies have water areas, berths, land territories, warehouses and open storage facilities, cargo handling facilities, passenger terminals, approach ways for railway and motor transport, and an adequate personnel.

The process of loading is always effected in full compliance with all general regulations and local customs. And this is the responsibility not only for the Stevedoring company but for the Master and cargo officer too. The loading and discharging operations are effected in accordance with the cargo plan which is made out by the Cargo officer or the Agent in the port.It has become a common practice nowadays to invite special cargo surveyors before the beginning of loading or discharging to inspect the holds. Usually such service is provided by independent surveying company to avoid disputes in future in case of damage to the cargo.

The first thing that must be tacking into consideration before the beginning of loading is ships stability and seaworthiness during the voyage. Other consideration is safety of the cargo.

It is important to say that a contract between shipping company and stevedoring company should be concluded. Under the contract the stevedore undertakes to:

Discharge cargo from or to load cargo into vessel’s cargo spaces to or from the pier.

Provide and pay for all necessary stevedoring services and labour.

Provide cargo handling gears and equipment.

Load and lay dunnage to prevent the cargo from shifting.

Make all necessary preparations against the arrival of vessel to handle it in quickest possible way.

Stevedoring

Stevedoring agreement is concluded between the shipowners and the stevedores. The owners engage the stevedores to perform full stevedoring services on all vessels presently owned, managed, or chartered by the owners in the certain ports whenever the owners have right to nominate their own stevedores and the stevedores agree to provide such services for the owners in accordance with terms and conditions of the agreement.

Stevedoring Co’s duties:

1) to discharge cargo from or load cargo into vessels holds, tweendecks, shelter decks, on decks, deep tanks and other usual cargo spaces to or from a place of rest on the pier;

2) to provide and pay for all the necessary stevedoring services, including winchmen, hatch tenders, tractor and crane operators, fork-lift drivers, foremen and others also stevedoring supervision as is needed for the proper and efficient conduct of the work;

3) to provide cargo handling gears and equipment such as hooks, pendant nets, trays, pallets, auto-lifting hooks, slings, hand trucks, mechanical trucks, etc.;

4) to oad and lay dunnage boards as required during loading for proper stowage of cargo;

5) to work two or more gangs simultaneously in one hatch when requested and practical to do so provided the necessary additional booms, falls and winches are supplied by the vessel or from shore facilities;

6) to perform initial removal and final replacement of beams, hatch boards;

7) to discharge cargo according to individual Bill of lading marks and load cargo according to individual shipping orders;

8) to shift gangs as required between hatches;

9) to make all necessary preparations against the arrival of each vessel so that loading and/or discharging is commenced immediately on the first resumption of the work after the arrival;

10) to arrange the work in such a manner that each vessel will receive the quickest possible dispatch.

The stevedores will take every precaution and care to protect from damage and disappearance of ropes and/or tackle provided by and/or belonging to the vessel; the owners to do the same for gear etc. provided from shore.

The stevedores will undertake and cover the cost of insurance against claims for loss of life or personal injury to persons employed by stevedores or to third parties.

The stevedores will indemnity and hold entirely harmless the owners against any claim or action whatever may be made or brought by any workman or employee of the stevedores or any other persons or person for personal injury or death sustained during the progress of work on or around the owner’s vessels unless such injury or death is caused by the fault of the ship’s officers, crew or equipment.