Service 01 — Shipping Agency
Shipping Agency
As shipping agents, we take full responsibility of all activities as related to shipments and cargo on behalf of our clients — ship owners, managers and charterers — and their interests at ports, ensuring quick turnaround.
Overview
As shipping agents, we take full responsibility of all activities as related to shipments and cargo on behalf of our clients — ship owners, managers and charterers — and their interests at ports, ensuring quick turnaround.
We also arrange visas, coordinate import and export, facilitate class inspectors and medical certificates, supply bunker fuel, arrange waste disposal and organise technical repairs.
How we plan the call
Pre-arrival is where the call is won
On nomination we lodge the berth application, book pilotage and tugs, and confirm the terminal window before the vessel is in range.
How we run it
One agent on the quay for the whole operation
Inward clearance is attended in person, not filed and hoped for. Our agent stays with the call from first line to last.
How we close it out
Paper never delays departure
Outward documents are prepared in parallel with the operation, so clearance is ready when the cargo is.
Final results
A port call with one accountable name against it, a statement of facts you can audit, and a disbursement account reconciled against what was actually done.
FAQs
What does WAPS do as our ship agent?
As shipping agents, we take full responsibility of all activities as related to shipments and cargo on behalf of our clients – ship owners, managers and charterers – as well as their general interests at ports and harbourers, ensuring quick turn-around at all times.
How do we appoint WAPS for a port call?
Use the Request a Port Call form. Give the vessel’s name, IMO number, type and flag, the port or terminal, and the expected arrival date, and tick the services you need. You can attach documents such as voyage instructions or a crew list (PDF, DOCX, XLSX, JPG or PNG, up to 10 MB each). Your request goes to the office that covers that port.
Which services can you provide during a call?
Shipping agency, inward and outward clearance, crew handling, cash to master, provision and ship supplies, ship spares clearance and delivery, and maritime security. Each is described on our Services page, and you can request several on the same port call.
Where are your offices?
Our head office is in Lagos, Nigeria, with offices in Tema (Ghana), Lomé (Togo), Benin Republic and Athens (Greece). The Contact page lists each office’s address, phone number and email.
What is protective agency, and when do we need it?
When the charterer nominates the port agent, your own interests at the port can go unrepresented. A protective agent acts on your behalf: supervising the charterer’s agency functions and monitoring port operations as they affect your vessel. WAPS protective agency helps ship owners, managers and operators do this across West Africa.
Is WAPS certified?
Yes. Our quality management system is certified to ISO 9001:2015 by the Standards Organisation of Nigeria, covering shipping agency and allied services. The certificate (number 0000619) is valid until 24 November 2028, and a copy is available on request.
Still need an answer?
The duty desk is staffed around the clock.
Start your shipment with Confidence
Nominate a vessel and we confirm coverage before you finish reading.
Request a Port Call