Intermediaries and their role

Stevedore

A workman who loads and unloads cargo on the ship.

Derived from Spanish estibador or Portuguese estivador = "a man who stuffs“

In Britain, such men are usually called dockers while in the U.S. the term longshoreman is used, derived from "along-the-shore man".

In Australia, referred to as wharf labourers and were called wharfies

They are under the Dock Labour Boards in India and found in all major ports

Dock Labour board co-ordinates with Port Trust.

Work is done in shifts

In the US

the International Longshoremen's Association on EAST coast on the Great Lakes and Gulf of Mexico and

International Longshore and Warehouse Union on WEST coast in Hawaii and Alaska

In Australia, The Maritime Union of Australia

In UK, Dockers' Union

Non Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)

These are companies who do not own or operate the carrying ship but contract with the shipping line for carriage of goods of third parties.

They are a shipping company

They purchase shipping space and sell them to companies that need to ship cargo.

Governed by,

Federal Maritime Commission in US

Under licence from Directorate General of Shipping, India

Examples

Everett (India) Private Ltd (EIPL)

ACE MARITIME SERVICES [P] LTD - NVOCC based in Chennai

Freight Brokers

Brings together shipper and shipping company

Brokerage is paid by the shipping company on fulfillment of the contract.

Prepares a “broker’s slip” and passes to shipping company giving customer details.

“Shipping order” is issued after assessing the broker slip.

Customs House Agent (CHA)

Customs House Agent (CHA) is a person who is licensed to act as an agent for transaction of any business relating to the entry or departure of conveyances or the import or export of goods at any Customs station.

Services offered

The agent can do everything that an importer or an exporter can do.

Filing a bill of entry, shipping bill, submitting supporting documents therewith, helping in examination of goods, payment of duty on behalf of the principal, warehousing of goods, removal from warehouse ,etc

Qualifications of an applicant under CHA Licensing Regulations, 1984

  The applicant individual working for a firm or a company should be:

               A graduate from a recognized University.

-           Should hold a pass in Form G as employee of the firm / company.

-           Should have engaged in Customs clearance work for three years.

-         Should possess assets of Rs.1 lakhs or Rs.50,000/- as certified by a scheduled bank.

-           Reliability of the applicant and soundness of financial status are very important criteria.

Working in other Customs Stations

              A person holding regular license can work in all Customs stations as a CHA.  If a place has both sea port and international air port, there is no need to seek the facility of separate license from each place.