Agency

What is Shipping ? Shipping Agency ?

Shipping industry is the fundamental part of world trade. Many industries are associated with it. Shipping is used to transport food, medicines, technology equipment and much more. For growth and sustainable development, cost efficient mechanisms of shipping are followed, especially in the developing world.

There is no country in the world that is sufficient enough to live without maritime shipping. Since trade and commerce entirely depends on maritime shipping, therefore it becomes an essential component for driving the economy of the world. Our daily use products are transported via sea as raw materials or finished products.

Maritime shipping is the heart of global trade and economy. The industrialized world has increased the importance of shipping. The standard of living has increased as the finished products reach all parts of the world. It is possible due to the advancement of the shipping industry. The livelihoods of many people depend on this industry.

Maritime transport is an economical way of transport when it comes to international commerce. There are many benefits of maritime shipping. The most significant advantage is that there is a huge capacity of ships that are used for transport. There are a lot of materials that can be transported at one time. The price of the transport route is low as compared to other modes of transport. The sea does not require any large investments regarding infrastructure. There is no country except those which have a compromised geographical location which do not use maritime shipping for trade with the world.

A shipping agency or shipping agent  , is the designated person or agency held responsible for handling shipments and cargo, and the general interests of its customers, at ports and  harbors  worldwide, on behalf of ship owners, managers, and charterers. In some parts of the world, these agents are referred to as port agents or cargo brokers. There are several categories of shipping agents such as: port agentsliner agents, and own agencies, each rendering specific services depending on the shipping company they represent.

In other words, a ship agent is any person or company that carries out the functions of an agent. They can be in business as a ship agent, or they perform such functions as an adjunct to, or conjunction with, other activities such as ship owning or operating, providing cargo handling or similar.Shipping agents will usually take care of all the regular routine tasks of a shipping company quickly and efficiently. They ensure that essential supplies, crew transfers, customs documentation, and waste declarations are all arranged with the port authorities without delay. Quite often, they also provide the shipping company with updates and reports on activities at the destination port so that shipping companies have real-time information available to them while goods are in transit.

Maritime agencies are representatives of the shipowner or charterer in each port. The agents are responsible for circulating essential information between everyone involved in marine transportation, such as the shipowner, the charterer, the port authorities, and the customs agents. They are a connection between the ship and the ports, providing authorities with all the necessary data for the documentation involved both on the arrival at the port and in the berthing of the ship.

As we’ve shown so far, hiring an agency involves a series of factors which are extremely important for the success of maritime business . Choosing an inexperienced agency, or one which has not been properly referred to you, is one of the greatest mistakes a charterer or shipowner can commit, because it puts the whole charter in danger. 

Al Masa is an excellent choice, first of all , we have a experienced and efficient team .

HELP WITH THE DOCUMENTATION

Each port has its own documentation requirements. Port authorities and organizations . Also demand specific information and certifications, according to the type of cargo being transported. There is also the minutiae involved in the arrival of a foreign crew, which might need assistance with their visas. Taking care of all that and much more, such as Controlling the containers and demurrage charges, is the responsibility of the maritime agents.This example might seem elementary, but it represents only one of the many documents and specifications involved in maritime operations. Taking care of all of those details is no easy task, and being careless with any of them might lead to onerous delays. Neglecting the Free Practice Certificate, for instance, can result on the ship remaining anchored for days.

PRODUCTIVITY IMPROVEMENT

Al Masa will also help improve the contractor’s productivity. Since they oversee everything that happens on the port, they can quickly inform if there are any favorable or unfavorable conditions to the ship’s arrival — if there is cargo which cannot be exposed to the rain, for example, it’s important to be aware of the climatic conditions in real time.

Furthermore, We are  able to orient the contractor about logistical questions, such as which terminals offer a better cost-benefit for refuelling, which terminals are available for storage, quantity and availability of the cargo for loading, and guidance about the best suppliers for services such as provisions for the ship, cars or motorboats for the crew, and spare parts transportation.

MARKET AND PORTUARY INTELLIGENCE OPTIMIZATION.

We are the  best maritime agencies have been operating on the Middle east ports ( United Arab Emirates , Egypt and Bahrain ). Besides having access to the daily lineup listing all the vessels which are expected in the country — complete with information about their cargo, origin, and destination —, we have  a huge data catalogue that can provide market intelligence to their clients.

At Al Masa Shipping Services, we have expert and experienced team dealing with all your shipping requirements.