Shipping Agent

A shipping agent is a professional agency authorized by the shipowner or ship operator to handle, on their behalf, matters such as vessel port entry and exit, cargo transport, ship supply, and crew services. In foreign trade, shipping agents are usually appointed by cargo owners or freight forwarders to coordinate berthing, loading and unloading, customs declaration and inspection, and bill of lading issuance. Use cases include: the buyer designating a shipping agent under FOB terms, the seller arranging a shipping agent under CIF terms, or a freight forwarder booking space as a shipping agent. Note: A shipping agent differs from a freight forwarder; a freight forwarder mainly represents the cargo owner, while a shipping agent represents the ship side. However, their business often overlaps, so the agency relationship must be clearly defined. In addition, a shipping agent must have port operating qualifications, and when selecting one, consider its route coverage, space guarantee, and emergency response capability. The difference from an NVOCC is that a shipping agent does not issue its own bill of lading and acts only as an agent of the shipping line.