Ship Agency. A Guide to Tramp Ship Agency Practice

This book both equips readers with a basic knowledge of tramp shipping agents and encourages those entering the industry to pursue further education. Various types of employment for tramp ships, such as demise, bareboat and voyage charter, are explained in the context of ship owner control. In the legal chapters, possible termination of agency relationships is explained in terms of the operation of new local laws, a breach in the diplomatic relationship between countries and the agent or principal’s change in circumstances. The book ends with authors’ insight into tramp shipping agencies.

Chapter 1 Tramp Ship Agency and the International Shipping Industry

1.1 Definition of ‘Agency’

1.2 The Shipping Industry as a Service

1.3 The Liner Business of Shipping

1.4 The Tramp Ship Owner

Chapter 2 Tramp Shipping

2.1 Tramp Ship Owners and Operators

2.2 Dry Bulk Carriers

2.3 Liquid Bulk Carriers

2.4 Tramp Vessel Operations and Management

2.5 The Commercial Operating of Ships

2.6 Types of Employment for Tramp Vessels

2.7 The Freight Market

Chapter 3 Shipbroking

3.1 Types of Shipbrokers

3.2 The Freight Market

Chapter 4 Tramp Ship Agency Practice

4.1 Port Agency Companies

4.2 Tramp Agency Operation

4.3 Pre-arrival

4.4 The Port Call

4.5 After Sailing Service

4.6 Functions of Agency Staff Members

Chapter 5 Defining Tramp Agency and the Scope of Services Provided

5.1 General Agent

5.2 Special Agent

5.3 The Right to Select the Port Agent

5.4 Charterer’s Nominated Agents

5.5 Hub Agent

5.6 Other Outsource Agency Services

Chapter 6 The Law of Agency

6.1 The Relationship of Agency

6.2 The Creation of Agency

6.3 Agency by Necessity

6.4 Ratification by Principals

6.5 Termination of the Agency Relationship

Chapter 7 The Ship’s Agent, Principals and Third Parties

7.1 The Disclosed Principal

7.2 The Partly-Disclosed Principal

7.3 The Undisclosed Principal

7.4 Third Party Rights Against Agent and Principal in the United Kingdom

7.5 Third Party Rights Against Agent and Principal in the United States

7.6 The Weakness of the ‘As Agent’ Signature

7.7 Creation of a Maritime Lien in the United States

7.8 Ship Agent’s Right to a Lien

Chapter 8 Duties and Liabilities of the Agent to the Principal

8.1 Duty to Act within the Scope of Authority

8.2 The Agent’s Duty of Confidentiality and Loyalty

8.3 Duty and Liability to Contract on the Principal’s Behalf

8.4 The Importance of Contract Signature

8.5 The Duty to Account for Funds Advanced by the Principal

8.6 The Duty to Exercise Care, Skill and Diligence

8.7 Duty of the Agent to Perform all Duties Personally

8.8 Duty to Keep the Principal Informed

8.9 Notification of Principal Through the Agent

Chapter 9 Principal’s Duties and Liability to the Agent

9.1 The Principal’s Duty to Provide an Opportunity for Work

9.2 The Principal’s Duty of Good Conduct

9.3 The Principal’s Duty to Pay Compensation

9.4 Remedies of an Agent

Chapter 10 Indemnity Insurance for Agents

10.1 Protection Coverage for Ship Agents

10.2 When Agents are most Vulnerable to Claims

Chapter 11 Duties under a Time Charter or as a Voyage Charterer’s Nominated Agent

11.1 Voyage Charterer’s Nominated Agent

11.2 Ship Agent’s Duty Under Time Charter

11.3 Disbursements Under Time Charter

11.4 Attendance of Delivery and Redelivery

Chapter 12 How to Select a Tramp Ship Agent

12.1 The Agent is a Reflection of the Party who Nominates or Appoints

12.2 Financial Strength

12.3 The Reporting of Voyage Accounting

12.4 Communication and Cargo Documentation

12.5 Company and Agency Staff Experience

12.6 Worldwide Ship Agency Networks

Chapter 13 Maintenance of the Agent/Principal Relationship

13.1 The Personal Relationship and Corporate Relationship
13.2 The Trade Relationship

Chapter 14 Charterer’s Liability for Actions of a Nominated Agent

14.1 The Charter Party Agency Clause

14.2 The Incentive for a Voyage Charterer to Nominate the Port Agent

14.3 The Charterer must Make a Reasonable Appointment

14.4 Liability for the Insolvency of the Agent

14.5 Charterer’s Liability Through the Implied Agency Doctrine

14.6 Charterer’s Liability in Cases Where the Nominated Agent is Acting

for a Limited Purpose

14.7 The Ship Owner’s Ratification of the Charterer’s Agency Nomination

Chapter 15 Managing a Tramp Ship Agency

15.1 Tramp Agency Fees

15.2 Service Fees

15.3 Accounting

15.4 Communications

15.5 Staffing

Chapter 16 Tramp Ship Agency Marketing

16.1 Selling to an Owner

16.2 Selling to a Charterer

16.3 Planning a Sales Call

Chapter 17 The Tramp Ship Agency Career

Chapter 18 Authors’ Thoughts