Code of Conduct

Philippine Ship Agents Association Code Of Ethics

The officers and each member firm of this Association are firmly pledged to the following principles in the conduct of their agency business;

1. In the conduct of his profession, a member shall exercise great care to avoid misrepresentation and shall be guided by the principles of honesty and fair-dealing.

The protection of the vessel’s interests at all times should be the aim and duty of a ship’s agent, especially with regard to the quickest turnaround of a ship in port at lowest possible expense.

2. A member’s compensation shall not exceed that which is customary for the services rendered. Neither should an agent in order to get the business offer any rebate, kickback, hidden inducements, and other advantages not usually given by the other members.

3. A ship agent in some aspects is fiduciary of the Ship-owner and should not retain more freight that actually required for ship’s disbursements, and should remit any balance to owners.

4. A Ship Agency is a profession therefore the services rendered must be professional, thus a member shall be diligent, at acquainting himself with port conditions and shall keep his principal accurately informed thereof and handle all disbursements accurately, honestly and expeditiously.

5. An Agent consistent with the principles of fair dealing must not solicit or accept an offer of Agency that he knows has already been contracted for.

6. Members shall endeavor to render their agency services to their principals as economically and efficiently as circumstances permit.

7. In line with the principle of honesty, the agency’s fee should be clearly advised to ship-owners and should be according to the Philippine Ship Agents Association Tariff. Such agency fee should represent the basis of all ship agency negotiations.

8. An agent must render service as customary in the trade thus: The Agent’s appointed by the time charterers must perform all the normal services to the ship and her master as would have been performed if the vessel called under a voyage charter and the Agent was appointed by the owners. All normal agency fees for ordinary agency services shall be charged against the time charterers.

If vessel by the charter party is consigned to Agents nominated by the charterers, the Agent so appointed must perform all the normal services to the ship and her master as if the Agent had been appointed direct by the owners, the Agent charging the normal fees for his work, such fees not exceeding what would have been charges under a direct appointment by the owners.

9. As a fiduciary of his principal and as a professional, a member shall always assist never hinder the principals in reaching and performing an Agency agreement, always rendering his best efforts and using his best judgement on their behalf.

10. Each member agrees to inculcate his organization with the principles set forth herein, for it is recognized that only by their observance will the standards of personal and professional conduct be advanced, and the practice of Ship Agency continue to inspire confidence as an essential and effective part of the shipping industry.