Seacorp to represent Multiport

UK-BASED ship agency network, Multiport, has appointed Seacorp as its Australian representative. Fremantle-based Seacorp is one of Australia’s largest indepen-dent shipping agencies. The company was established in 1998 and has grown to forecast turnover of $50 million for 2006. In February, Seacorp won a state government contract worth more than $40 million to supply shipping services to regional ports in the north-west, taking over from national firm Patrick Corporation Ltd. The four-year deal, with options to extend for an additional year, includes a capacity expansion of approximately 20 per cent on the coastal shipping service to the Kimberley and Pilbara regions from 2007. Seacorp managing director Craig Thompson said joining Multiport meant the company could now offer customers agency represen-tation at both the load and disport ends of the business. Seacorp is one of five new members enrolled in Multiport’s expanding agency network for 2006 with other agencies being appointed in American Samoa, Malaysia, Nicaragua and Syria. Multiport secretary general Peter J Titchener said Seacorp met Multiport’s stringent criteria of being independent, financially strong and having a good reputation. Mr Titchener said Multiport employed independent shipping specialists to perform annual checks on the financial strength, credit worthiness, reputation and professional ability on all its members. “We look for independent ship agents who are hungry to expand and grow,” he said. “A major requirement is that they are financially strong with a good reputation both locally and with the principals they act for.” Multiport’s ship agency network, which is more than twice the size of its nearest rival, is represented in over 108 countries and covers 1,600 main ports. The agency specialised in having members who were experts in their local area and who could offer principals detailed knowledge of the local market.