Agency Fees

Maritime Agency Fees for the Republic of Argentina last version
by Centro de Navegación

Maritime Ports and the Principal River Ports

The Scale of Agency Fees for vessels in Argentine ports is divided according toold customary uses, and covers the intervention of two or more ship–agents, one who acts as Customs Transport Agent and the other as Confidential/Protecting Agents (for shipowners, time charterers etc.) and as Supervisory Agent, the most recent category.


General Terms


1.1 Customs House Agents, and or Charterer’s Agents when appointed, perform port entrance services, such as ordering pilots, tugs and mooring services and following owners instructions regarding operations and clearance with the Argentine authorities. In some situations, and due to their nature (smuggling, legal problems, collisions, accidents) it is more convenient for the matter to be handled by the Confidential/Protecting Agents.

1.2 Confidential /Protecting Agents look after the issues related to to crew, repairs, stores, certificates and any other interest entrusted to their care.

1.3 Supervisory Agents are those who intervene on behalf of a third party, and does not perform the duty of Custom–House Agents and/or Confidential/Protecting Agents.

1.4 In cases where an Agent intervene in more than one capacity, he is entitled to charge his Principals the fees applicable to each one separately, plus the corresponding surcharges.

1.5 In the case of ships loading and discharging separately or simultaneously, the Agents shall charge separately for each operation.

1.6 The surcharges for delays and trips to roads for Customs Transport Agents, are also applicable to Confidential /Protecting Agents and Supervisory Agents, always provided that the Agents are not acting in a double or trip capacity, in which case the charge is to be applied only once.

1.7 Additional services shall be charged to the ship when in overtime, in strict accordance with legal rules and regulations in force.

1.8 Expenses incurred attending to the ship (for example, among others, transportation, mail, communications, paper work , etc.) will be charged in addition to the fees indicated in the present scale.

1.9 Ports and/or anchorages, South of Bahía Blanca will have a surcharge of 30% on each item.

1.10 The Customs Transport Agent shall have the right to obtain the necessary guarantees from the Captain and/or Shipowner that will permit the payment of any justifiable demands made by the Argentine authorities.

1.11 Any service not included in the present tariff is subject to special agreement between the parties.

Important Notes


It is a priority that owners provide agents with funds at least 48 hours prior to vessels arrival to first operating port.
It is clearly understood that when work is performed outside normal working hours and authorities must be requested to intervene as in the case of customs, whomever requests the overtime work is responsible to pay for these charges. Under no circumstance the agent will be instructed to to request services which may thereafter fall under dispute and/or lack of payment because this may cause the agent’s suspension by the authorities. If the charter party does no clearly stipulate who is responsible to pay for the above overtime charges, then they will be billed to the vessel.

The tariffs included in this booklet are suggested charges applicable to all Argentine ports and exclude such expenses as communications, bank charges or others which will be billed separately.


Customs House Transport Agents


Loading or discharging up to 14.999 tons of cargo and up to a total of 20 days in port and/orroads and/or anchorage (including lightening and/or topping–off areas, and/or waiting zones due to port congestion) or on arrival at the first port of operation.

Time to count as from first anchorage or pilots embarkation

2.1 Dry and liquid bulks.
For each port……u$s 4230

2.2 Homogeneous dry cargo (of the same type, nature, or characteristics, bagged cased, palletized, in rolls, bundles or boxes) or perishable, chilled or frozen cargoes and/or live stock and/or fodder.
For each port…….u$s 4880

2.3 Shipments of scrap–iron, billets, sheets, blooms, rails, beams, machinery, tubes, wires, etc.
For each port…….u$s 4740

2.4 General cargo, that is goods of various kinds, a charge to be applied on the net sea freight of 2% .
For a minimum of …….u$s 4230

2.5 Transshipment operations
a) For lightening or topping-off operations carried out of the first cargo transfer zone (Anchorage) with a maximum time of 4 days…….u$s 4570
b) For lightening or topping off operations subsequently carried out at other cargo transfer zones (Anchorage), for each zone with maximum time or 4 days for each zone…..u$s 3720
c) For each additional day or part of a day…..u$s 340

2.6 Surcharges according to the total tonnage loaded. The following surcharges will be applied with the basic rates in accordance with the total tonnage of cargo, as indicated, loaded or discharged (including any transshipments or lighterage) in all Argentine ports, irrespective of the number of ports, roads or anchorages used.
a) For items 2.1, 2.2, 2.3 and 2.4 (excluding liquid bulks that are part of item 2.1)
– From 15.000 tons to 19.999 tons….. 25%
– From 20.000 tons upwards for each 5000 tons or fraction…..5%
b) For liquid bulks that are part of 2.1
– From 15.000 tons up to 44.999 tons….. 20%
– From 45.000 tons upwards, for each 20.000 tons or fraction……10%

2.7 Surcharge for delay. After the full 20 days in port or roads or anchorage (in total).
For each additional day the charge will be……u$s 130

2.8 Surcharge for trips to the roads.
To give inward or outward clearance to a vessel in the Roads, or for any other operation requiring the attendance of Agency staff outside the port zone, (except for lighterage and transshipments) for each trip:
a) Ports of Buenos Aires, La Plata, Bahía Blanca and lightening and topping–off areas….u$s 590
b) Other ports…….u$s 330

2.9 Car carriers …..u$s 4550

2.10 Cruise vessels
– With up to 500 passengers…….u$s 4810
– With more than 501 passengers ……. U$s 5980

2.11 Cargo vessels with tourists on board…….u$s 4810

2.12 Fishing vessels

a) Deep sea fishing vessels……u$s 590
b) Factory ships…..u$s1950
c) Factory ships transshipping to ocean–going refrigerated vessels……….u$s 2340


Confidential / Protecting Agents


3.1 For normal and general attention, on behalf of Shipowners or Time Charterers, of crew’s affairs, repairs stores and taking care of any other matter entrusted to them, for a period of up to a total of 10 days’ stay in port or 20 days in roads and/or anchorages, including arrivals in distress, for stores, water, bunkers, etc. Changes in crew (separate charge according to item 3.3 below) and various services (separate charge according to item 3.4 below). The period begins to count from anchoring for the first time (lightening and /or topping-off areas, and/or waiting zones due to port congestion included) or on arrival at the first port of operation.

Time to count from first dropping anchor, normal change of pilots not included, but including steaming time among different operating ports in Argentina.
Each port……..u$s 2730

ADDITIONALS TO ITEM 3.1

3.2 For entering or clearing outwards a vessel in ballast, always provided the same Agent does not attend as Custom–house Agent, and the vessel has not arrived in distress…… u$s 1170

3.3 Argentine or foreign crew-members, etc. up to 5 days’ stay one shore:
a) For each case of a stowaway or deserter or being involved in legal, judicial or penal affairs, the fee is subject to agreement, with a minimum of u$s 1040
b) For each crew–member embarked and/or landed and/or repatriated and/or arriving from or leaving for abroad (except cases mentioned in 3.3a):
i) Entering or leaving in groups on the same transport, up to 5 persons, for each one………u$s 260
ii) For each additional person coming or leaving with the same group …..u$s 130

c) For each additional day after the first 10 days (a,b and c), for each person.. u$s 15
d) For repatriating the remains of, or burying locally, deceased persons, if attended to by the Agent….. u$s 1300
e) For each intervention to engage crew–members, the fee is subject to agreement, with a minimum of…… u$s 260

3.4 For acting in of cases of:
a) Collisions, groundings, material damage, accidents, claims, damages, losses caused by fire, legal/judicial/penal proceedings, (except those concerning the crew), smuggling, pollution, with or without the intervention of the authorities and/or lawyers and/or surveyors, except for General Average and embargoes: for each separate case, a fee, subject to agreement between the parties, will be charged, with a minimum of …….u$s 3250
b) Delivery or redelivery, each…….u$s 980
c) Renewal of ship’s certificates, up to 3……u$s 390
– Each additional certificate…….u$s 130

3.5 Surcharge when a vessel stays more than 10 days in port and/or roads and/or anchorage. Same as for item 2.7 for Custom-house Agents and according to clause 1.6 of the General Terms. Per each additional day of stay……u$s 130

3.6 Surcharge for trips to roads. Same as for item 2.8 for Customs Transport Agents and according to clause 1.7 of the General Conditions
a) Ports of Buenos Aires, La Plata, Bahía Blanca, and lightening and top–off areas………u$s 590
b) Other ports…….u$s 330


Supervisory Agents


4.1 For acting in that capacity, appointed by any of the interested parties, but without intervention as Custom-house Agent and/or Confidential/Protecting Agent. The period begins to count from anchoring for the first time (lightening and/or topping-off areas, and/or waiting zones due to port congestion included) or on arrival at the first port of operation, and including navigation time among different operating ports in Argentina…… u$s 1560

4.2 Surcharge when a vessel stays more than 20 days in port and /or roads and or anchorage. Same as for item 2.7 for Custom-house Agents and according to clause 1.6 of the General Conditions. Per day of additional stay u$s 65

4.3 Surcharge for tips to the roads. Same as for item 2.8 for Custom-house Agents and according to clause 1.6 of the General Conditions.
a) Ports of Buenos Aires, La Plata, Bahía Blanca, and lightening and topping-off areas…… u$s 590
b) Other ports……u$s 330


Agency Tariffs for Documentation and other Operations


Agency Tariffs for Documentation and other Operations

5.1 Documentation
a) Delivery order full container……..u$s 60 plus Tax
Delivery order LCL…..u$S 7 per ton plus VAT(Value added tax)
Delivery order B.Bulk…..u$s 7 per ton plus VAT
Maximum….u$s 130 plus VAT per bill of lading

b) Bill of lading fee…..u$s 45 plus VAT

c) Document correction fee for
Customs……u$s 65 per document plus VAT???
Freight certification…….u$s 20 plus VAT
Logistic fee…….u$s 35 plus Tax
ATA fee for customs filet ….…u$s 130 plus VAT

d) Transshipment fee for documentation and on carriage…….u$s 65 plus VAT

5.2 Spare parts for vessels.
For each delivery or dispatch……u$s 130

5.3 Claims
For the inspection to containers or cargo by P&I or private surveyors effected out of the dates programmed for the official cargo survey.
For each bill of lading on consignees account…..u$s 170 plus VAT

5.4 General Average and /or embargoes
a) For each bill of lading involved…….. u$s 260
b) Minimum for General Average…… u$s 3900
c) Minimum for each embargo……. u$s 2600

5.5 Official investigations by local authorities. For each case, minimum …… u$s 3900

5.6 Agency Personnel on board Agency personnel attending on board for lightening, topping-off and other operations. Per person and per day…..u$s 40