What is A Port Agency?

As per the dictionary definition, an agent is someone who acts on behalf of another person or business organisation. When it comes to port agents and port agencies that they represent, the former plays an important role in the shipping and marine industry.

Ships and the ship’s captain approach a port agency to ensure proper mooring areas are allotted to the ship and all the documents are ready and adequately taken care of.

Additionally, port agencies also mention all minor and major aspects of the charges of customs and all other government procedures required to be fulfilled by the captain of the ship.

Several companies offer exclusive port agency services. The port agents are present physically when the ship arrives at a particular port and ensure all the above-mentioned procedures are carried out.

This ensures reliability from the sides of both parties. The physical presence of port agents ensures that the responsibility is being taken care of by the company providing the shipping services and from the part of the client, the fact that there is no illegality involved in the ship and its crew.

Also since the aspect of legality and illegality is involved, it has to be noted that port agents must have a clear record – criminally. This is the first thing that is checked after a person, aspiring to be a port agent has been accepted by a company offering port agency services. If a person has the educational qualification but also has a criminal or a police record then that person is disqualified from being a port agent.

This is why it becomes the responsibility of the port agency to make sure that none of its port agents have a prior criminal record. This further adds to the credibility aspect of a port agency.

In addition to ships, a port agency also handles smaller boats and yachts. This covers all marine vessels – big as well as small. Another important shipping service a port agency offers is cleaning up garbage and other waste materials from the ports.

Some famous companies that offer port agency services as a part of their shipping services include COX, Royal Burger Group (this company caters to clients in Northern Europe) and Chrismare (catering to clients in Bulgaria).

With the help of a port agency, a ship’s owner can relax be free of all tensions and be completely assured that the normal course of his business will not get disrupted.

You might also like to read-

• Who Are Clearing Agents – Importance And Duties
• Why Fake Job Agents and Scams Thrive in the Maritime Industry?
• How To Identify Fake Or Fraudulent Shipping Agents And Institutes?
• Who is a Shipping Agent?

About Author

Zahra is an alumna of Miranda House, University of Delhi. She is an avid writer, possessing immaculate research and editing skills. Author of several academic papers, she has also worked as a freelance writer, producing many technical, creative and marketing pieces. A true aesthete at heart, she loves books a little more than anything else.

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