Areas covered

SHIPS
The types of ships employed in dry cargo and liquid trades including: Cape Size, Panamax and Handy Size bulk carriers, General Purpose, Container, Ro/Ro, Ore/Bulk/Oil, Ore/Oil and tankers
Basic dimensions, design and construction details including decks, holds, hatches, derricks, winches, cranes and specialised cargo handling gear. Ballasting and ballast systems
Terminology of measurements including dimensions, tonnages, cubic capacities, TEUs.
Content and information available from Capacity, General Arrangement and Stowage Plans
Compatibility of different ships for cargoes and trade routes

SHIP TYPES
Design and construction with particular reference to suitability for cargoes and trades
Dry Trades: Liner Trades – conventional tween decker, multi-purpose vessel, containership, Ro/Ro cargo, barge carriers Tramp Trades – conventional bulk vessel (handy size, panamax, cape- size) ore carriers; combination carriers (ore/oil, ore/bulk/oil), refrigerated ships.
Wet Trades: Crude (ULCC, VLCC, Suezmax, Aframax) Product Carrier; chemical carrier; gas carriers; specialist vessels
Ship-borne cargo handling gear including heavy lift and self unloaders

CARGOES AND TRADE ROUTES
Commodities – their nature, characteristics, hazards and stowage requirements.
Areas of production.
Trade routes and seasonal variations including approximation of time and distance.
Alternative routes and seasonal variations.

REGISTRATION, CLASSIFICATION AND SURVEYS
Choice of flag, flag states, offshore registries and flags of convenience. The role and function of classification societies.
Classification societies registers. Class maintenance programmes and class surveys.
Safety certification. Port State Control.
Other surveys including on/off hire, pre-loading, bunkers and draft surveys.
ISM Code – origin, application and audits.
Role of the International Transport Workers Federation (ITF) and national trade unions.

PORT AGENCY OPERATIONS
The agent’s role; obtaining business, identifying the principal.
Dealing with port authorities, terminal operators, pilotage, towage, stevedores, riggers etc.
Services for Master and ship’s personnel including bunkering, storing victualling, medical needs etc.
Cash to master.

SHIP DOCUMENTATION
Clearing of the vessel with statutory authorities including customs, port health and immigration.
Problems of smuggling, drug offences, illegal immigration.
Signing crew on and off and repatriation.
Noting protest.
Certificates, reason for and validity.

CHARTER PARTIES
Standard forms of voyage and time charter parties and their suitability to different trades.
Format and clauses common to all Charter Party forms.
Voylay Rules 1993 and FONASBA Time Charter Interpretation Code 2000.
Rights, responsibilities and liabilities of owners and charterers.
Consecutive voyage contracts and Contracts of Affreightment.

PORT WORKING DOCUMENTATION
Notices of readiness, arrived ship, statements of facts, timesheets.
Avoiding disputes in connection with time counting.

CARGO DOCUMENTATION
The importance of bills of lading in Port Agency.
The functions of bills of lading and their role in international trade.
Bills of lading legislation – UK Carriage of Goods by Sea Act 1992 or equivalent national legislation.
Hague/Hague Visby & Hamburg rules.
Rules for combined transport including UNCTAD/ ICC.
Clean and ‘dirty’ Bills of Lading. Letters of indemnity, their use, misuse and the avoidance of fraud.
Types of Bills of Lading: ocean, through, combined transport, waybills. Major and usual clauses.
Other documentation – Booking notes, Shipping notes, Manifests, Dangerous cargo declarations.
Regulatory control of imports and exports including customs procedures and licensing.
Computers: Their application and the development of paperless trading.

LEGAL ASPECTS FOR PORT AGENCY
The agent’s relationship with his principal including law of agency.
Charterer’s nomination of agent and appointment by time charterers.
Liabilities of the agent including authority, breach of warranty and fiduciary duty.
Errors and omissions insurance.
The essentials of General Average including documentation.
General average documentation.
Cargo and other claims and the role of the owner’s P & I Association.
The role of the agent in arrest in rem .

ACCOUNTS
Funds in advance.
Pro-forma disbursements accounts.
Identifying costs for owner’s account, for time charterer’s account, for voyage charterer’s account, for merchant’s account.
Separation of owner’s and charterer’s financial responsibilities.
Freight collection and remittance. Recovery of overdue accounts.

Instructor’s resume

Capt. Andreas Georgiou, FICS, Managing Director of GREGALE (DRY BULK) SHIPPING.
Cpt Georgiou is born in 1973 in Athens. After graduating Leonteio Lykeio Patission in 1991, he attended the Hellenic Merchant Marine Academy and graduated in 1996 with a Bachelor in Nautical Science. He served on board Bulk Carriers, RoRos and Cruisers as well as in various Navy units as a Naval Officer. Started his career ashore as an operator of handy bulk carriers at ADRIATICO Ltd. and quickly added chartering in his activities. After being 13 years with Eurochart SA as a chartering manager, Ursa Shipbrokers in the same position, Managing Director at Grace Trading Corporation LLC and he is now the Director of GREGALE (DRY BULK) SHIPPING, operator of Dry Cargoes and Vessels. Holds a MSc in Marine IT applications and a second one on international relations. Apart from Greek which is his mother tongue, he also speaks English, French, Italian and German. Among other academic publications he has also published two more papers on correlation of the BDI with other economic figures.

It is ideal for

– Experienced agents wishing to update their knowledge
– Young port agents with medium experience wishing to develop their knowledge in the sector
– Seafarers moving form sea-going to shore-based employment from an agency
– General and Operations managers at Ship Agency companies
– Shipping Professionals (Charterers, Brokers and Lawyers) wishing to develop a role in port agency

Duration & Hours

The duration is 22 hours and lectures take place from 19:00 to 21:30.

Dates

October: 09, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, 26 & 30
November: 01

Fees

550 Euros (including Tuition Fees, reading material & ICS Book)

Subsidy

The Course can be subsidized by the Greek Manpower Employment Organization (O.A.E.D.) by LAEK 0, 24% Subsidy.