A Ship Agent’s Handbook

Abstract

The role of a ship agent includes various responsibilities essential for efficient port operations. A handbook was commissioned by C&C Port Agency which was the result of this qualitative study. C&C Port Agency is a Finnish shipping agency company assisting ship owners in all Finnish ports, contributing to approximately 6,000 successful port calls annually. The aim of this thesis is to create a handbook tailored to junior ship agents at C&C Port Agency, serving as a comprehensive learning resource. The theoretical framework of the thesis focuses on how to create an effective handbook as well as gathering data on different learning preferences to create an easy-to-use handbook while considering diverse learning preferences. Triangulation is utilized in the methodology chapter to reach the desired result. Two main qualitative methodologies are used, a semi-structured interview, and a literature review, supplemented by the author's firsthand experience during their internship at the company. Literature review and personal insights offer a nuanced understanding of the systems and procedures utilized, enriching the content of the handbook. The interview provides insight into the ship agency industry, ensuring the handbook’s relevance and applicability. The study acknowledges the potential limitations of relying on a single semi-structured interview, potentially limiting the observed perspectives. Although, underscoring the handbook’s role as a supplementary learning tool in combination with other learning resources and experiences, rather than a standalone learning resource. The handbook is exclusive to C&C Port Agency and will not be published. However, this thesis discusses the process involved in developing the ship agent’s handbook, offering insights into its creation and utility.