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Port and Agency Services

business from the ground up and we are
committed to a programme of on the job

training and career advancement.
“My task is to ensure that we can

continue to work with our customers to

provide those high levels of service for
which we have become known throughout

the industry.”
Commenting on the role of the Boarding

Officer, Mr Chin said: “One of the qualities
that a Boarding Officer needs to have is the

ability to think on their feet.
“Plans seldom go as scheduled and it’s

important that the Boarding Officer is able
to organise crew, file reports and

troubleshoot at a moment’s notice.”
1/

A typical working day for a Ship Agent:

6.30am: It’s already hot and humid in has been onboard four vessels in one day, it means that he has
Singapore, and ships crews are gathering to spent many hours preparing for each arrival, while

be taken out to their vessels. They come simultaneously preparing for the vessels expected during the
from all over the world, and could be following days.

headed for any number of vessels, from an 8.30am: After the security checks and a transfer by the
oil tanker, or a seismic vessel to a car launch boat, the Boarding Officer will arrive onboard the

carrier, for any amount of time from four first vessel to start on routine paperwork and coordination
months, six months to nine months, across to make sure that the vessel’s visit to Singapore is as efficient

South East Asia and out into the wider as possible.
9am:
world. Hundreds of ships are waiting at Time to head back to shore. The Boarding Officers will
anchorage. Each one is visited and assisted stay onboard until their job is done. They then complete the

by boarding officers from a variety of paperwork which will be accessed by up to 10 different
companies. WSS provides every type of stakeholders – all of whom need to know what has been done to

service imaginable; crew changes, the vessel so far; the volumes of supplies, customs reports and
bunkering, IT repairs, supplies, customspreparing the declaration of departure for the following day.

reports, arrival and departure reports. Simply put, a ship 9pm: Leaping 12 hours ahead, the nightshift is in operation.
cannot dock or anchor up without the assistance of the port The same tasks still need to be carried out, whatever the time

agents and their boarding officers.of day. It has been known for a technician to service up to 17
ships in five days and some have stayed onboard anywhere up 7am: Mr Chin rounds up all the Boarding Officers ready to

to four days to coordinate everything. uembark for inspections. A typical day might involve a Boarding

Officer anywhere up to four different ships. Each vessel
requires a tremendous amount of preparation and

coordination before it reaches the harbour. When a technician1/ Jason Chin, Ships Agency Manager for Wilhelmsen Ships Service

2014 Issue 63
The SHIP Supplier 35