Port Louis is the Capital city of Mauritius and has a total surface area of 46.7 km2 (18.0 sq mi). It has since its creation been the most populated city on the island (2,946.6/km2 as at 2011). One of the prominent factors that has have served to place Port-Louis as the capital city of Mauritius has been its favourable natural disposition to accommodate a commercial harbour. Indeed Port-Louis harbour has been established very early in the economic history of the island, dating back to as early as 1638 under French Government. Since those days the harbour of Port Louis has been under constant development. Today the port infrastructure put in place such as container terminals, commercial quays etc…has established Mauritius as a one stop shop port for various commercial vessels visiting the island.
One of the main actors making the link between the various local stakeholders and the vessels visiting Port-Louis Harbor are shipping agents. “A shipping agency or shipping agent is the designation for a person or agency responsible for handling shipments and cargo at ports and harbours worldwide on behalf of shipping companies. In some parts of the world, these agents are referred to as port agents or cargo brokers. There are several categories of shipping agents such as: port agents, liner agents and own agencies, each rendering specific services depending on the shipping company they represent.” Source :
Shipping agents ,overall, are expected to efficiently handle all of the regular tasks expected from a shipping company. The shipping agent, for instance, ensure that essential supplies, crew transfers, customs documentation and waste declarations are all arranged with the port authorities without delay. Quite often, they also provide the shipping company with updates and reports on activities at the destination port so that shipping companies have up-to-the minute information available to them at all times while goods are in transit.
Recent changes in shipping pattern in the Indian Ocean greatly influenced by (i) the ever looming effects of the global economic crisis (ii) piracy activities have also unexpectedly contributed to the popularity of Port-Louis as a transit hub for transhipment of containers or the transit of armed security guards. This increase in popularity coupled to the aspiration of the Mauritian authorities to position Port-Louis harbour as a hub to the main African continent is surely starting to take shape. And one thing is for sure, the contribution of reliable shipping agents will greatly assist in bettering the vessel call experience at Port-Louis.
The selection of an experienced and reliable shipping agent for a vessel calling Port-Louis Harbour will make a drastic difference in the type of service received. Amongst the various shipping agencies present at Port-Louis, PAS is certainly amongst the most influential. Counting in its ranks agents with more than 18 years of experience as shipping agent in Port-Louis.
For more information on Shipping Agency Service at Port-Louis, Mauritius please contact:
Mr Vick P Tahalooa
Port Agency Services (Mauritius) Ltd
Tel: +230 252 2122
Email: [email protected]
www.portagent.mu/
