Shipping Agent

The purpose of this qualification is to provide learners with the required knowledge, practical skills and work experience to prepare a learner to operate as a Shipping Agent. A Shipping Agent liaises and processes transactions of a ship or cargo on behalf of the ship owners, ship managers or ship charterers. A qualified learner will be able to: • Prepare the disbursement account. • Advise all authorities of the ship's arrival. • Keep cargo interests updated. • Arrange husbandry matters (doctors, dentists, arriving/departing crew, technical services). • Arrange for the ship to berth. • Tender notice of readiness. • Keep a statement of facts. • Update all stakeholders daily on progress. • Coordinate the bunkers. • Arrange surveyors. • Authorise signing bills of lading. • Keep a record of the port call expenses. • Arrange for the sailing of the ship. • Send final disbursement account to owners. • Send sailing documentation to owners, charterers and next port of call.

There is on average a total of between 15 000 to 20 000 commercial ships calling at South African ports annually. The role of a shipping agent is vital in order to ensure that these vessels are expedited through our ports. The Occupational Certificate: Shipping Agents serve to equip qualifying learners with the necessary skills to plan for the port call of a ship and to manage its port operations and post departure activities. Typical learners for this qualification would include learners exiting at grade 12, unemployed persons and persons who are working in the shipping environment but without formal qualification. South Africa is in the process of developing its blue economy. Skilled and knowledgeable ships agents is a stride in the right direction. The implementation of this qualification is, therefore, in support of the economic objectives of the country.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL): RPL for Access to the External Integrated Summative Assessment: Accredited providers and approved workplaces must apply the internal assessment criteria specified in the related curriculum document to establish and confirm prior learning. Accredited providers and workplaces must confirm prior learning by issuing a statement of results or by certifying a work experience record. RPL for Access to the Qualification: Accredited providers and approved workplaces may recognise prior learning against the relevant access requirements. Entry Requirements: • NQF Level 4 qualification with English and Mathematics.

• Plan and prepare for ship's port call.
• Manage ship's port operations
• Manage post departure requirements of a ship.