What is a typical organization structure for a shipping agency

Transport company organization chart. Still have a question? Ask your own! ad by The Vintage News. On an average the following departments constitute a normal shipping company. (Please note that are different ways shipping companies manage their vessels; the whole management can be done by the company and their appointed people only, or the ships owners can lease out the technical management/general management of their ships to technical management organizations (eg Anglo Eastern, Bernhard Schulte etc). I am talking about the former, where the owners and their appointed team directly look after the ships they own) 1. The Technical Team : The basic function of this team is to look after the day to day operations of their vessels. The officers involved are called Technical Superintendents, and they generally report to a Fleet Manager. Technical Superintendents are generally people with considerable sea going experience, like Chief Engineers or Captains, who know the ins and out of vessel operation. Depending on the number of vessels in the company fleet, there can be more than one fleet manager or someone like a Technical President. The technical team works in close cooperation with workshops which are appointed to take care of ship repairs which the ship staff cannot manage themselves. 2. The Purchase and Procurement Team : The general work of this team is to communicate with suppliers/ship chandlers/other organizations to connect ship supplies all around the world, where ever the ship calls port. This team also takes guidance and approval from the technical team, because all stores and stock items and generally approved by the technical team. 3. The Operations team: This team is generally headed by someone like an experienced Captain who works in close liaison with the vessel charterers (one who hires the vessel in return of money) and instructs the vessels well in advance about what operations they will be doing in the coming dates. They also look after things like port clearances, appointment of local agents etc etc. They may also be given the task to chasing the charterers for the charter fee. 4. The Finance team : As the name suggests, they handle the money; both of the employers and of other parties like workshops, chandlers, agents etc etc. They will also be headed by the a senior person (typically a MBA) who will be in charge of the overall finance of the fleet operations. 5. The Fleet Personnel Department : These guys looks after the recruitment and concerns of the sailing staff. These guys have to be in touch with the ships and the people on land to rotate crew and make sure the vessels are always manned by competent people. They work in close cooperation with the technical team, so that the correct person with required experience and knowledge lands up on the vessel. 6. The HSSE and training department : HSSE stands for Health Safety Security and Environment. This department, along with fleet personnel dept, ensures that people going on board have the correct competence required. They will also ensure that all the required audits, memorandums with the different flags etc etc are up to date so that the vessel or the office does not lapse with any statutory requirements. 7. The Marketing team : Vessels need to be marketed and need to be in charter so that they make money. The marketing team does that. The owners may directly be involved in this team. The above mentioned department heads generally report to the ship owners who in turn is control of the whole show. Source: I have worked for an ownership company in India.