Port Agent

This is an excellent opportunity to join a well known shipping agency at their Regional Operations Centre (ROC) based in Grangemouth, Scotland. The ROC provides a centralised support function to the wider UK & Northern Europe port agency operation.

As a member of the ROC Team, the role holder will be the first point of contact for enquiries and job appointments related to its scope of work, providing a responsive and customer focused service on a 24 hours a day, 7 days a week basis. Out of office hours (evening, weekends, public holidays and alike) will be covered by team members on a rotation basis.

Responsibilities

• Coordinating crew changes and husbandry arrangements for contracted ship owners and ship managers across UK ports.
• Remote coordination of port agency jobs at select locations across the UK. This includes full commercial cargo calls, husbandry jobs, cruise calls, bunker calls, customs work and documentation.
• Managing the release of motor vehicles imported to the UK via shipping lines who are customers.
• Handling customer enquiries (requests for port information and costs) and acting as controlling agent for ‘spot calls’ for ports in Germany and Ireland.
• Coordinate all vendors and suppliers well in advance of vessel arrival to ensure a smooth flow of all services with the aim to minimise vessel idle time in port.
• Receive advance schedules and ETAs and work with port authorities, terminal and port services providers pro-actively to look after Principals best interests for berthing and working prospects.
• Prepare PDAs, request pre-funding as required.
• Manage the pre-arrival documentation process between vessel, port/terminal and government authorities.
• Book port services for vessel berthing and sailing (arranging Pilots, Towage, Lines etc).
• Boarding of vessels on arrival and/or departure, and as otherwise required.

Requirements

• Good working knowledge of Port Operations, Shipping and/or Port Agency.
• Ability to work calmly and with a positive attitude under pressure.
• Competent user of the Microsoft Office suite including Outlook, Excel and Word.
• Experience of working in a customer facing role in the shipping / maritime industry.
• Experience working in a corporate / office environment, preferably with experience being rostered on-call with a duty phone.
• Full UK Driving License.
• Physical ability to board ships.

You must have the right to work in the UK to be considered. After completion of a training period the role will be hybrid 3 days in the office & 2 from home.