SHIPPERS AGENT

A "Shipper's Agent" is not a carrier, freight forwarder, or

broker. Shipper's agents generally arrange for the
transportation of truckload or container load
shipments. Shipper's agents commonly provide
services related to warehousing or loading and
unloading.

A Shippers' Agent is a natural person or business entity

who or which acts as an agent on behalf of cargo
owners or shippers, or both, to procure cargo on behalf
of a cargo owner or shipper for whom the agent is also
arranging for the carriage of goods.
The shippers agent or for brevity’s sake the agent, is thus in a
way the trusted representative of the owner in a harbour. He
is allowed to act in the owners name with regard to the right
and duties of the owner towards third parties.

The responsibilities/competencies as well as the remuneration

of the agent may be explicitly entered into a contract which
has been concluded between himself and the owner. This
practice is very common in the liner trade. In tramping, the
agent usually has a tacit competency to act in the owner's
name. Consequently, in the tramping there is almost never a
written contract between the agent and the owner. In any
case, the owner remains legally liable for the acts taken by
the agent in the frame of the agency.
The duties of a shipping agent are very variable and
depend mainly on the sort of service he has to render
(liner traffic or tamp trade). Some duties will be the
same for both services such as the duties with regard to
the agency or dispatch of the vessel; other duties will be
typical to the liner trade such ensuring there is enough
cargo in the port of call (this is called acquisition).

There are several categories of shipping agents such as:

1. Port agents
2. Liner agents
1. Port agent:
The port agent is the representative of the owner in a
certain harbour in the tramp trade. There is
usually no written agreement between the owner
and the port agent, so that in fact, the latter has a
tacit responsibility/competence. His tasks may be
multiple and may include:
 Make-up the documents for the customs and
harbour services;
 Arrange for the necessary ship provisions;
 Arrange for the necessary repairs;
 Convey instructions to and from the owner
 Contact the shippers and receivers of the goods;
 Organize the supply, transport and the handling of
the goods;
 Organize the necessary contacts with the stevedores.
 in case of damage, make the necessary contacts with
the insurance company.

 2. The Liner Agent:

In harbours in which the company does not have his own
organization, the owner of a liner trade will appoint a
liner agent.
The relationship between the liner agent and the owner
(the principal) is laid down in an agreement called
"agency contract" or "agency agreement".
REFERENCE:

http: www.maritimeknowhow.com