Port Agent & Protecting Agent in Chile
Full port agency backed by more than 25 years of experience in these waters. From Valparaíso south we work with our own offices and our own staff — no subcontracted attendance, no agent you have never met meeting your vessel.
Talk to our teamFrom Valparaíso north we cover the country through established agency partners, under the same single point of contact and the same reporting. Whichever side of Valparaíso the call falls on, one team carries the file from first enquiry to closure.
Pre-arrival coordination, authority clearances, berth and pilot arrangements, disbursement accounts and post-departure closure. Protecting agency on behalf of owners, charterers and P&I clubs when another agent is nominated.
Port agent or protecting agent — we act as both
Port Agent
Appointed to run the call
Nominated by the owner, charterer or operator, we run the whole port call in Chile:
- Pre-arrival coordination and berth planning
- Clearances with the maritime authority, customs, immigration and health
- Pilots, tugs, linesmen and launches
- Disbursement accounts and post-departure closure
Protecting Agent
Your eyes and ears in port
When another agent is nominated for the call, we look after your interests alongside them:
- Independent reporting on the vessel's stay
- Review of port costs and disbursement accounts
- Crew, documentation and owners' matters attended
- Support to P&I clubs and owners' representatives
We are appointed by:
- Shipowners
- Ship managers
- Charterers
- Operators
- P&I clubs
- Yacht & superyacht managers
What we handle
- Pre-arrival coordination from first notice to berth allocation.
- Authority clearances with the Chilean maritime authority and port captaincy.
- Berth and pilot arrangements coordinated as one file, not two.
- Disbursement accounts prepared and reconciled for owners, charterers or operators.
- Post-departure closure — the file does not end when the vessel does.
- Protecting agency for owners, charterers and P&I clubs when another agent is nominated for the call.
Coverage
Valparaíso south
Our own offices and our own staff, headquartered on the Strait of Magellan itself in Punta Arenas — the region where most of our calls are worked end to end.
Valparaíso north
Coverage through established agency partners, reporting into the same single point of contact so the file reads the same regardless of which agent is on the ground.
A port call rarely stops at agency alone. We coordinate cargo handling through Fast Cargo, crew handling through Just Crew, and provisioning through Amundsen Ship Chandler — all under the same point of contact as the agency file.
Frequently asked questions
Do you act as port agent for yachts and superyachts in Chile?
Yes. We act as yacht and superyacht port agent in Punta Arenas, Puerto Williams and along the Chilean coast — clearances with the maritime authority, customs and immigration, berth or anchorage, provisions, fuel and crew matters, coordinated by one point of contact for captains and yacht management companies.
Do you act as protecting agent for owners when charterers nominate the port agent?
Yes. When charterers nominate the port agent, owners can appoint us as protecting agent to look after their interests in port — independent reporting, review of port costs and attention to crew and owners' matters.
Who can appoint Shackleton's Way as port agent in Chile?
Shipowners, ship managers, charterers, operators and P&I clubs. Send us the vessel, the port and the ETA at info@sway.cl.
What is the difference between port agency and protecting agency?
Port agency is appointed directly by the owner, charterer or operator to run the call. Protecting agency is appointed alongside a nominated agent, to look after the interests of owners, charterers or P&I clubs without taking over the call itself.
Do you cover ports outside the Magallanes Region?
Yes. From Valparaíso south we work with our own offices and staff; from Valparaíso north, coverage is arranged through established agency partners under the same single point of contact.
Can you handle disbursement accounts for owners and charterers?
Yes, disbursement accounts are prepared and reconciled as part of the standard agency file, alongside pre-arrival coordination, authority clearances and post-departure closure.