Shipping Intermediaries

In the process of Logistics at the port involves- customs formalities and increase various duties and activities on its arrival to the port of destination for the clearance of vessels and transport the goods to warehouse. Other hand for the port of origin many duties and functions are also needed to be complete. Which may involve many intermediaries like. :- 

• Forwarding & Clearing Agents
• Shipping Agents

Forwarding & Clearing Agents are responsible for clearance of goods including custom clearance at the port. The associated costs at the two ends of maritime transport process will depend on the purchase contract terms. The supplier is responsible for responsible for the custom clearance at the loading port or port of origin for all trade terms except when the contract is on FAS terms. These terms are Incoterms which be discussed in my earlier blog posts. I will also post a latest Incoterms very soon in the coming post. 

Now in these days freight- forwarders are not only forwarding the freight or arranging the transport for freight but they also offering container services as well as unimodal and multimodal including overseas transport. They also provide National and International Door to Door services for small or very big cargo. 

Freight forwarders are also acting as Ship Brokers. As a ship broker they have to use their skills and experiences for negotiation between owners and charterers. They negotiate on behalf of their parties and try to support their interest.

Shipping Agents has to finish their duties as Port Agents and Linear Agents. As a port agent they have to represent the owner and assist the vessel for the owners account in order to have the best possible business. 

On other hand the linear agents are an important group of functionaries in linear shipping. As we know that port agents are rarely enter into written contracts but a liner agents often enter into such written contracts- often under certain forms. 

But the multimodal transport will take responsibilities for all the action and legal duties which are applicable on the commodities or cargo from the  port of origin to port of destination. Most of the MTO's are providing door to door services and acting for all intermediaries as they are owner of that commodities or cargo. Actually after receiving the goods from exporter to delivering the goods to importere an MTO's are legally working like an acting owner of that goods. I have already discussed more about Multimodal Transport in my previous blog post. you can visit the link to read the posts.