The Framework of Port Services Agreements
In a port unit, the ship's agency service, stevedoring service, survey service and transport-forwarding service are rendered in accordance with international standards and Georgian legislation. The companies rendering these services are obliged, before starting the respective activity, to submit to the Agency their registration data and contact information — a rule that secures the transparency of the port services market: the shipowner and charterer see in advance who renders services in the port and to whom to apply; the Agency sees who is registered in the market. All four services rest on international standards, which means their quality is assessed against not only national but also international benchmarks — and at the time of contracting these two levels must be taken into account together.
The Duties of the Agency Company
The concept of the disbursement account is the central instrument of port economics: a ship's stay in port generates dozens of different charges — mooring, pilotage, stevedoring, survey — and all these sums are placed in one document delivered to the shipowner as a whole. Checking the disbursement is therefore a standard stage of port disputes: the basis of each item must be verified separately.
The agency company is obliged, in the name and on the instruction of the shipowner or charterer, to settle accounts for all types of services rendered and to submit to it a single disbursement account — meaning that every expense incurred in the port is summed in one document and verified from a single source. In addition, the agency company must ensure the provision of data about the ship to the maritime single window system; it is responsible for the accuracy of that data and for updating it on change — an obligation that is the foundation of the port's digital coordination.
The Sea Towage Contract
Under a sea towage contract, the owner of the ship assumes for remuneration the obligation: to transfer the ship or other floating object by towage from one port to another; to transfer it for a certain time over a certain distance; or to conduct manoeuvring or standby duty where necessary. The contract is concluded in writing and must indicate: the ports of departure and destination, the time of towage, the parties' rights and duties, liability for breach of the contract, the peculiarities of the towage objects that may affect the safety of towage, and other circumstances the parties consider necessary to record. This detail is purposeful: towage is a technically risky operation, and the contract records precisely the details that define the risk — the peculiarities of the object, the time and the distance. Both the form and the content of the contract work together: the written form creates the evidentiary base, and the details the boundaries of liability. The written contract must indicate the ports of dispatch and destination, the time of towage, and the rights and duties of the parties, so that the subject of the contract is fixed precisely and no operation is left in doubt as to whether it falls within the remuneration.
Port Towage
Under a port towage contract, the owner of the tug, for remuneration, brings in or takes out a ship or other floating object within port waters, conducts manoeuvring of the towed ship within port waters, the mooring of the ship by rope and other operations. Proof of the conclusion of this contract is the captain's application — a practical detail that creates the documentary trace of port operations.
To summarize: the system of port services agreements consists of four blocks. First, the types of service: agency, stevedoring, survey and transport-forwarding services are rendered under international standards and the legislation. Second, transparency: the rendering companies submit their registration data before starting. Third, settlement: the agency company submits a single disbursement account and carries the ship's data into the single window system. Fourth, towage: the sea contract is written and requires detailed content, while the port contract is confirmed by the captain's application.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we answer the questions most frequently asked on this topic.
Which services are rendered in the port?
Agency, stevedoring, survey and transport-forwarding — in accordance with international standards and the legislation.
What is the agency company's duty?
To submit a single disbursement account and to provide the ship's data to the maritime single window system.
What must a towage contract contain?
Ports, time, rights and duties, liability, peculiarities of the objects — in written form.
How is port towage confirmed?
By the captain's application.
How We Help on Legal.ge
Port services agreements unite international standards and national rules and often create multi-party relations — shipowner, charterer, agency and tug owner are in one chain. On Legal.ge you can consult a maritime-law lawyer who will prepare the contract, analyse the disbursement and protect your interests in disputes connected with port operations. Submit a request on the site and get qualified assistance.