Maritime & Transport Services Limited

Business View Caribbean 3 ing the goods. According to the Federation of National Associations of Ship Brokers and Agents, a shipping agency acts as the principal’s local representative. And, as such, it must be “fully conversant with all the appropriate regulations and requirements relating to the port in which it operates, have a wide range of rel- evant contacts, and be sufficiently well-established to be able to provide the level of service and support the principal needs. The port agent is central to all trades and is responsible for organizing, overseeing, and co- ordinating all aspects of the port call, from booking berth allocations and services ahead of the vessel’s arrival to finalizing the accounts and other paperwork after the vessel has sailed.” Since the agent is the one who hires the stevedoring services, among other responsibilities, in becoming a shipping agency, Maritime & Transport now could pull double-duty and more. “That way, they added value to the principal by becoming a key service provider,” explains Clarke. That evolutionary dynamic has per- sisted to this day. “We’ve continued along that same line of diversifying and going through the cargo chain,” he adds. In fact, over the years, MTS has expanded its services across the shipping sector, proving that when it comes to the maritime industry in Jamaica, there is AT A GLANCE WHO: Maritime & Transport Services, Ltd. WHAT: Provider of services for the shipping in- dustry WHERE: Headquarters in Kingston, Jamaica WEBSITE : www.mtsjamaica.com KIM CLARKE - CHAIRMAN & MANAGING DIRECTOR