Actors involved in marine transport operations

Marine transport activities involve a wide range of stakeholders. Shipowners, whether owners and operators or charterers, are responsible for transporting goods from one place to another by sea, on schedule and in good condition. They call on the services of many other trades involved in the transport of goods.

Among the most important marine operators, we mention the following:

• Forwarders: They are tasked with taking all necessary measures to protect the goods. They are responsible for administrative formalities and customs clearance, they manage logistics and transit issues, ensuring compliance with the regulations in force in each country. They play a crucial role in import-export activities and are involved in every link of the transport chain.
• Freight forwarders: They are professional intermediaries, tasked with organizing the transport of goods, its implementation and coordination with subcontractors.
• Stevedores: They are tasked with carrying out port handling operations under remunerated contracts. Port handling operations include loading, stowing, unstowing and unloading goods, as well as placing and retrieving goods on the dock or in warehouses. Bound by an obligation of means in all these operations, the stevedore is therefore liable for any loss or damage caused to the goods if the incident occurs during the execution of his/her mandate.
• Towing companies with whom the shipowner undertakes, in return for payment, to provide towing services using a vessel designed for the services required.
• Consignees who operate in ports where the shipowner is not based, and for whom they act as representatives. The shipowner entrusts them with all administrative tasks and formalities concerning the ship's needs before arrival and during its stay in port (tugs, pilots, repairs, relations with the maritime authorities, etc.), and those of the crew (medical examinations, relief, etc.), as well as cargo management.
• Marine insurers who cover the ship and cargo and assume liability in the event of a claim. Various insurance policies are linked to the marine transport of goods: professional third party liability insurance, hull insurance, cargo insurance, general average insurance and war risk insurance. Cargo insurance covers goods against all risks that may arise during marine transport.
• Marine adjusters: Once the goods have arrived at the port of destination, and in the event of a claim at the time of delivery, the parties concerned can call in a marine adjuster to examine the ships and/or goods on behalf of their clients, in the context of a joint survey, whether amicable or not, or even in court. The adjuster is, therefore, solicited to determine the cause of the loss and assess the amount of prejudice sustained by the goods.