The UNCTAD Minimum Standards for Ship Agents (ref. UNCTAD/ST/SHIP/13) were issued in 1988 in response to a request from the UNCTAD Ad Hoc Intergovernmental Group to Consider Means of Combatting all Aspects of Maritime Fraud, including Piracy. As stated in the introduction, “they are non-mandatory in nature and are to serve as guidelines for national authorities and professional associations in establishing their own standards”. Changes to operational practices in ship agency profession since the issue of the 1988 Standards and the increasing emphasis on quality service provision indicate that a review of the Standards is necessary to ensure they reflect current practices and therefore remain relevant and reflect current practice.
UNCTAD no longer publishes documents of this nature and they have asked if UN/CEFACT would consider to publish an update of these standards as a trade facilitation recommendation.

To review the 1988 Minimum Standards in the context of current international ship agency practices and procedures and make such amendments as are necessary to ensure they continue to provide appropriate and up to date guidance to national authorities and professional associations.
The project will be limited to the activities of ship agents and not other actors involved in maritime transport.

Deliverable 1: Recommendation

Exit Criteria for Deliverable 1: Public Review log showing all comments have been addressed and recommendation ready for publication

Membership is open to UN/CEFACT experts with broad knowledge in the area of: Maritime shipping

In addition, Heads of Delegations may invite technical experts from their constituency to participate in the work.
Experts are expected to contribute to the work based solely on their expertise and to comply with the UN/CEFACT Code of Conduct and Ethics and the policy on Intellectual Property Rights.

The geographical focus of the project is global.

• UNCTAD Minimum Standards for Ship Agents; UNCTAD/ST/SHIP/13, 1988
• FONASBA Quality Standard for Ship Agents

Participants in the project shall provide resources for their own participation. The existence and functioning of the project shall not require any additional resources from the UNECE secretariat.