Premier Port Agency & Vessel Support in Bangladesh

The agency department at Haque & Sons Ltd expertly manages port calls for a diverse range of import and export vessels across Bangladesh. Backed by over 75 years of maritime excellence since our founding in 1948, our highly experienced shipping professionals seamlessly handle vessels carrying bulk commodities (such as wheat, food grains, cement clinkers, and steel), crude and chemical products, vegetable oils, break bulk, and containers. Operating in a highly competitive market, our dedication and deep industry knowledge enable us to deliver exceptional, reliable service to our valued principals.

We offer an efficient, comprehensive support package encompassing the following core services:

Handling Agency

Full operational support for both Liner and Tramp vessels.

Owners Protecting Agency (OPA)

Fiercely safeguarding principal interests for chartered vessels to minimize costs and optimize turnaround times.

Cargo Forwarding

Secure, compliant, and efficient cargo logistics and handling.

Port Husbandry

Cost-effective coordination of essential ship services, including fresh water supply, provisions, laundry, and prompt medical assistance for seafarers.

Specialist Maritime Services

Expert facilitation of ship repairs, marine and bunker supplies, P&I assistance, and seamless crew changes and repatriations.

Marine Procurement & Logistics

Leveraging long-standing relationships with top-tier local suppliers, our marine procurement division delivers exceptional purchasing power and economies of scale for our principals. Directed by qualified Master Mariners, Chief Engineers, and seasoned technical assistants, our logistics team negotiates highly competitive rates for critical maritime supplies—including spare parts, marine lubricants, gases, chemicals, navigational charts, wire ropes, and safety equipment.

We operate with absolute financial transparency. Our service charges are highly competitive, based strictly on actual expenses, and fully supported by verifiable vouchers. By combining our robust bargaining power with deep technical expertise, we ensure that vessel owners consistently receive the best possible value in terms of pricing, material quality, and professional service.

Why Shipowners Need an Independent Port Agent in Bangladesh

Bangladesh ports, particularly Chittagong, are among the busiest and most complex port environments in South Asia. Discharge operations, berthing arrangements, stevedore activities, and cargo documentation all carry risks that can result in significant financial losses for shipowners if not monitored closely.

Common risks shipowners face at Bangladesh ports without an independent protecting agent include delays in berthing and discharge operations, Statement of Facts manipulation in favour of the charterer or cargo receiver, stevedore damage to the vessel going unreported, crew sign-on and sign-off complications, and unexpected disbursement overcharges from the charterer's appointed agent.

Haque & Sons Ltd. has been navigating these risks on behalf of shipowners since 1972. We know the local environment, the local authorities, and the local procedures better than most. That knowledge is your protection.

Our Port Agency Services in Bangladesh

Owners Protecting Agency

We act as your independent representative at the port, monitoring all aspects of the vessel's port call on your behalf. We attend berthing operations, supervise cargo discharge, verify the Statement of Facts, manage communications with the charterer's agent, and report directly to you throughout the port call.

Our team maintains strong relationships with Chittagong Port Authority, Bangladesh Customs, immigration authorities, and all relevant local bodies, giving us the access and influence needed to protect your interests effectively.

Vessel Declaration and Port Clearance

We handle all formalities for declaring your vessel at port and arranging clearance with the relevant port, customs, and immigration authorities. Our experienced team ensures all documentation is completed correctly and submitted on time to avoid any delays in berthing or departure.

Cargo Operations Supervision

We provide independent supervision of cargo loading and discharge operations to protect the shipowner's interests. Our team monitors stevedore activity, records any vessel damage caused during cargo operations, verifies cargo quantities against Bills of Lading, and ensures the Statement of Facts accurately reflects the vessel's actual port experience.

This supervision is one of the most important services we provide. Inaccurate SOF records can result in significant demurrage disputes and financial losses for shipowners. We ensure your records are accurate and defensible.

Marine Procurement and Supplies

Our port agency department handles all marine procurement for vessels calling Bangladesh ports. This includes spare parts, lubricants, gases, chemicals, charts and navigational notices, wire ropes, uniforms, safety shoes, life saving appliance equipment, and all other marine stores and provisions.

All procurement is carried out by our shipping logistics team, headed by qualified Master Mariners and technical assistants. We have strong supplier relationships across Bangladesh, ensuring the best possible pricing on every order. Our charges are fully transparent and supported by proper vouchers and documentation.

Bunker Survey and Supply Coordination

We coordinate on-hire and off-hire bunker surveys at Chittagong and other Bangladesh ports. We also assist in arranging bunker supply through our established relationships with local fuel and lubricant suppliers, ensuring competitive pricing and quality for both port and anchorage delivery.

Husbandry Services Bangladesh

We arrange all essential husbandry services for vessels at Bangladesh ports including fresh water supply, provision supply, laundry services, crew medical attention, mail delivery, cash to master, and all other vessel support requirements.

Crew Change Coordination at Chittagong Port

We manage crew sign-on and sign-off formalities at Chittagong port including all port, customs, and immigration documentation. We arrange airport transfers, hotel accommodation at competitive rates, and crew transport using our dedicated fleet of buses and taxis.

Our crew change coordination works directly with our marine travel division, Marine Travel Agency Limited, ensuring every crew movement is managed efficiently and without delays.

Vessel Survey Coordination Bangladesh

We act on behalf of shipowners in coordinating with classification societies and accredited surveyors for periodic vessel surveys, condition surveys, on-hire and off-hire surveys, and any other survey requirements during a Bangladesh port call.

We maintain excellent working relationships with all major classification societies operating in Bangladesh, including coordination with surveyors from DNV, Lloyd's Register, Bureau Veritas, and others, ensuring surveys are completed on time and without disruption to vessel operations.

Ship Repair Coordination

We coordinate ship repair operations at Chittagong on behalf of our principals, connecting vessel owners and superintendents with trusted local workshops, engineering teams, and spare parts suppliers.

For emergency repair situations, our team responds quickly to source the right technicians and materials, minimising vessel off-hire time and getting your vessel back in service as fast as possible.

P&I Correspondence and Assistance

We provide full P&I correspondence and assistance services for vessels at Bangladesh ports. Our experienced team liaises with P&I clubs and their correspondents, assists in incident documentation, and ensures all formalities related to P&I matters are handled correctly and promptly.

Vessel Ownership Changeover

We have extensive experience representing principals in vessel management transfers and ownership changeovers at Bangladesh ports. We handle all local formalities involved in the transfer process efficiently, minimising delays and costs for our principals.

Our Port Agency Covers All Major Bangladesh Ports

Chittagong Port

Chittagong is Bangladesh's primary commercial port and handles the vast majority of the country's maritime trade. It is a complex and busy port environment where local knowledge and strong authority relationships are essential for effective port agency work. Haque & Sons Ltd. has been operating at Chittagong port since 1972.

Mongla Port

Mongla is Bangladesh's second major seaport, located in the southwestern region of the country. We provide port agency and owners protecting agent services at Mongla for vessels calling this port.

Payra Port

Payra is Bangladesh's emerging third seaport located in the southern coastal region. As port operations at Payra expand, we are positioned to provide port agency support for vessels calling this port.

Our Marine Procurement Strength

One of the most important parts of our port agency service is our marine procurement capability. Shipowners and vessel superintendents consistently tell us that getting the right supplies, at the right price, delivered quickly, is one of their biggest challenges at Bangladesh ports.

Haque & Sons Ltd. addresses this through long-term supplier relationships built over five decades of operations in Chittagong. We source spare parts, lubricants, gases, chemicals, navigational charts and notices, wire ropes, uniforms, and safety equipment from trusted suppliers at highly competitive prices.

All procurement is led by our team of qualified Master Mariners and technical assistants who understand exactly what a vessel needs and how to specify it correctly. Every expense is documented and supported by vouchers for complete principal transparency.

Our charges are competitive and based on actual expenses, with no hidden markups.

The Difference Between Our Port Agency and Ship Agency Services

Haque & Sons Ltd. provides both port agency and ship agency services and it is important to understand what each covers.

Port Agency

Our port agency service is focused on owners protecting agency, independent cargo supervision, marine procurement, husbandry, and technical support for vessels where the charterer's agent is handling the primary port formalities. We act as the shipowner's independent eyes and ears on the ground.

Ship Agency

Our ship agency service covers the full management of a vessel's port call as the appointed handling agent, managing all port formalities, cargo operations, documentation, and vessel support from arrival to departure.

If you need an independent protecting agent to safeguard your interests during a charterer-managed port call, our port agency service is what you need.

Why Choose Haque & Sons as Your Port Agent in Bangladesh

Over 50 years of port agency experience at Chittagong and other Bangladesh ports since 1972.

Independent and impartial service working exclusively in the shipowner's interest with no conflicts from charterer or cargo receiver relationships.

Shore team led by qualified Master Mariners and Chief Engineers who understand vessel operations and owner interests from direct experience at sea.

Strong established relationships with Chittagong Port Authority, Bangladesh Customs, immigration authorities, and all major classification societies.

ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system covering all port agency and shipping operations, audited and certified by DNV.

Transparent procurement with all expenses documented and supported by proper vouchers, no hidden costs.

Part of Bangladesh's largest maritime company, giving principals access to crew management, crew training, ship agency, freight forwarding, vessel brokerage, and marine travel services all under one roof.