EVENT: So what is an OPA? And why should you use one?

So what is an OPA? And why should you use one? That’s what our Commercial Director, Martaxelle Erussard, and our colleague at Transcoma Shipping, Laura Ferrario were getting to the bottom of during a morning breakfast event held by AgFlow.

In a nutshell, it’s an agent that protects the owners’ best interests and helps things run more smoothly.  In this role, we take on a lot of responsibilities, here are some of the main ones:

• COMMUNICATION – Language, time zones and culture can all lead to difficulties, delays and misunderstandings, an OPA helps ensure smooth communication and accurate, timely information flow.
• WE’RE ON YOUR SIDE – An OPA is used to ensure your best interests are prioritised, which includes reviewing costs and ensuring they are in line with normal port tariffs.
• FRAUD – Sadly it happens.  An OPA will check B/Ls and LOIs for signs that they are not genuine to avoid cargo being discharged against fake documents.
• DISPUTES – These can frequently arise around SOFs (Statement of Facts), an OPA steps in to help resolve any issues from an objective stance, based on facts.
• ACCIDENT – If the worst should occur, swift action is needed by well-versed teams who know how to communicate urgently and accurately with the right people.
• INFORMATION – An OPA will tell you the real situation at the port and will give you everything you need, such as line ups, weather updates, options to improve your port call and market intelligence.

A big thank you to Nabil Mseddi and the AgFlow team for inviting us to speak on this subject close to our shipping hearts.

Looking for an OPA? Contact MasOceans and our local teams will resolve problems before they have even happened.

YOUR VESSELS, OUR PORTS

Book a port with Martaxelle Erussard | martaxelle@masoceans.com | +41 (0) 22 552 00 51