The ship's agent

The ship's agent represent a shipping company in a foreign port. The ship's agent assists the master at the customs clearance of the vessel: he takes care of all the formalities of the ship and its cargo with the various agencies: the pilotage, port authorities, customs, cargo handlers, shippers and consignees of the goods, freight forwarders, etc. The ship's agent also takes care of the interests of the crew of the vessel: delivering money to the captain (often required for payment of the crew), in case of repatriation he ensures the necessary visas, airplane tickets, transportation to the airport and hotel accommodation when needed. The ship's agent arranges medical assistance and orders supplies and provisions for the vessel. If the agent is acting for a regular line, he is called a liner agent. The liner agent looks for cargo for the ship and receives a commission.

Each port has its own customs, laws, regulations and details.  The ship's agent is indispensable for the measures that has to be taken before arrivent of the vessel, and vice versa, for handling cases when the vessel already left the port.

Ship's agents can be divided into two groups, depending on the principal for which one works: the autonomous / independent agent employed by various companies and the dedicated agent who represents only one shipowner.