Shipping and maritime
Ship agents and port agencies: records AI developers may want to license
Ship agents look after ships during port calls, arranging pilotage, towage, clearance and husbandry such as stores, crew changes and medical care. Each call leaves a file: proforma and final disbursement accounts, a statement of facts or port log, and correspondence with owners and authorities.
Records a ship agent or port agency may hold
Usually yours to decide on
These can still contain other parties' details: see Held for others.
- Your agency's own know-howTariff knowledge, templates and procedures your agency built itself.
Held for others
These may need the other party's consent, or may have to come out before anything is shared.
- Port call files and disbursement accountsUnder the 2001 FONASBA liner and general agency form, all files and records about the principal's business are the principal's property.
- Correspondence with owners and authoritiesUnder the same form, all aspects of the principal's business are to be treated confidentially.
What a ship agent or port agency should check before saying yes
What your contracts say
Check which agency agreement each principal used. Under the 2001 FONASBA liner and general agency form, all aspects of the principal's business are confidential and its files are the principal's property. Other agency agreements may say something different.
The principal's consent
Check whether you need each principal's consent for its port call files.
How personal details come out
Port call files can include crew changes, medical care and immigration paperwork. Ask the firm how crew details, names and contact details are removed before anything is shared. De-identification explained sets out what to ask.
The terms of any offer
Read what you would be agreeing to, and get your own legal advice before you sign. Once data is used to train a model, it can't practically be pulled back out.
How it works
Fill in a short form and we reply by email within two business days. If it looks like a fit, we introduce you to a firm that represents owners in these deals and email you its name. The firm pays us a referral fee if you sign. See all three steps.
Check if your data qualifies
One short form. If it looks like a fit, we introduce you to a firm that represents owners in these deals. No cost, and nothing is shared without your OK.
Check if my data qualifies →Questions owners ask
Are port call files ours to license?
Not necessarily. Under the 2001 FONASBA agency form, all files and records about the principal's business are the principal's property.
Do I need to sort out my records first?
No. Start by filling in our short form with your team size and years in business. Rough numbers are fine. If you are about to cancel or switch software, export your records first: see Before you cancel or switch logistics software.
Do I have to pay anything?
No. If you sign with the firm we introduce you to, it pays us a referral fee out of its own share, so it doesn't reduce what your company is paid. You never pay Insightlanes.com anything.
Sources
- FONASBA Standard Liner and General Agency Agreement (sample copy): files are the principal's property; the principal's business is confidential