About Fedsai

In the past decades the subject of formation of the Federation of Agents Association was discussed by the Presidents/Chairmen and other Office Bearers of the Associations such as the Bombay Steamer Agents Association, Bombay; Association of Shipping Interests, Calcutta; Cochin Steamer Agents Association, Cochin; The Madras Steamer Agents Association, Madras and Visakhapatnam Steamship Association, Visakhapatnam. The matter crystallized when the Madras Steamer Agents Association, Vice Chairman, Mr. V. R. Rajamani addressed a letter to all the fore-mentioned Associations on 23rd April 1979 enclosing a news clipping from ‘The Hindu’ of date on the subject of “What is wrong with our ports – Management or Labour or Equipment” with a bare facts appeal to quote “I am afraid that the time has come for bringing into a Federation our Associations; Government is becoming more and more non-receptive to appeals from various sources. The latest is the unilateral decision of the Government of India, Ministry of Transport in changing the Representatives of Trade Organizations in the Port Trust Boards of various Ports. Now the interests of the shipping have to be looked after only by the representatives of Shipping Corporation of India. It was suggested that prior to expediting the inauguration of the Federation, a convention of only the Steamship Agents on all India basis be organized, purely to discuss among themselves shipping matters in various ports. Taking this matter seriously the Bombay Steamer Agents Association (BSAA) Executive Committee in its Meeting on 17th May 1979 took on record this MSAA’s letter of 23rd April 1979. Subsequently, views on formation of Federation were exchanged with other Associations. A draft copy of the Memorandum of Federation was circulated on 5th May 1980 by BSAA. Soon an All India Committee of Shipping Agency Houses was evolved and the first meeting of the ‘All India Committee Of The Shipping Agency Houses’ was held on Tuesday 6th January 1981 at 4.30 p.m. in Bombay at Forbes Building, Charanjit Rai Marg, Bombay, in the office of M/s Forbes Campbell & Co. Ltd.


The following representatives were present:

1 Mr.  N M Mehta President BSAA
2 Mr.  R S Cooper BSAA
3 Mr.  D M Parekh BSAA
4 Mr.  N C Joshi BSAA
5 Mr.  S B Pathare Hon. Secretary BSAA
6 Mr.  B A Nadkarni Secretary BSAA
7 Mr.  N M Trivedi ASIC
8 Mr.  R Radhakrishnan MSAA
9 Mr.  V R Rajamani MSAA
10 Mr.  S V Asher MSAA

The name of the Federation was proposed by Mr. D. M. Parekh as ‘The Federation of All India Steamer Agents Association’ and approved unanimously by the members present. Mr. N M Mehta was elected the 1st President of the Federation. From the 16 members of the Executive Committee, 2 Vice Presidents were to be elected. It was also decided that the Intermediate Ports Steamer Agents (16 in number) and Minor Ports Steamer Agents (78 in number) should either form their Association or be affiliated to the nearest Steamer Agents Association through which their grievances could be represented.

However, the deliberations to form a Federation continued through 1981 to 1984 wherein an All India Co-ordination Committee of Shipping Agents under the Chairmanship of Mr. N M Mehta deliberated on the issues raised by The Association of Shipping Interests in Calcutta and concluded that the Federation cannot be complete without the membership of Calcutta – One of the big Major Port and hence efforts were made to persuade them to join.

The Federation of All Steamer Agents Associations in India continued to be prodded forward by the BSAA in Bombay by addressing issues of concern to the trade and the various Associations. During the year 1988, the visit of the Joint Parliamentary Committee – Shipping Agents Licensing (1987) Bill, gave the much-desired further impetus to the formation of a Federation of Steamer Agents Association and so it was propelled by Mr. R S Cooper, the President of BANSA (Changed name from BSAA) at Bombay.

In the year 1988, MANSA (Name changed from BANSA) continued to address the issues that are common in ports of the country. The modalities of the Federation were prepared; meetings with representatives of Associations from all Major Ports were organized to constitute an ad hoc committee to prepare Articles of Association and the Constitution. The meetings were held in the year 1990 under the Chairmanship of Mr. R S Cooper, President MANSA.

Finally, the Federation of Ship Agents Associations of India (FEDSAI) came into existence on 10th May 1990. The Presidentship of the Federation commenced with Mr. R. S. Cooper (the then President of MANSA) as the President of the Federation and this would rotate in clockwise manner for a term of 2 years beginning with Bombay (now Mumbai) and moving on to Calcutta, Madras and Cochin. The total strength of the Federation Committee increased to 39 and the Secretary General of MANSA would be the permanent Secretary General of FEDSAI. The Memorandum of Association & Articles of Association of Federation of Ship Agents Association of India was finalized. First it was tried to register the Association in Chennai. Those efforts having failed, the issue was taken up by Mumbai representative (MANSA) and application was made to register the Association with the Registrar of Companies, Maharashtra, Mumbai.

The following Members stood as Directors of the Company being formed as FEDSAI a non-profit making organization, in pursuance of the Memorandum of Association.


With perseverance and unstinted efforts of the Directors and the present President, the FEDSAI came to be registered u/s 25 of Companies Act 1956 (1 of 1956) as a Limited Company and was registered on 20-11-2006 under No. U93090MH2006PTO165170 of 2006-2007 by the Registrar of the Companies, Maharashtra, Mumbai

The Memorandum with Rules and Regulations as adopted by the Federation Executive Committee has been the back-bone for the conduct of the FEDSAI business. The main objectives of FEDSAI are to address shipping related matters of national importance with a sole aim to promote shipping industry in our country. FEDSAI tries to promote and develop the country’s EXIM Trade with frequent interactions with the concerned Ministries on the matters related to improve the smooth flow of cargoes in and out of the country.

The following gentlemen, subsequent to Mr. R.S. Cooper have acted as Presidents of the Federation till to date: Mr. H. P. Nopany, President of Association of Shipping Interests in Calcutta (ASIC), Mr. K. J. Ramaswamy from Madras Steamer Agents Association (MSAA), Mr. K. J. Jose from Cochin Steamer Agents Association (CSAA), Mr. S. M. Jalali, President, Mumbai And Nhava-Sheva Ship-Agents Association (MANSA), Capt. Suresh Amirapu of Chennai & Ennore Ports Steamer Agents Association (CHENSAA) and Mr. Bharat S. Asher of Cochin Steamer Agents Association (CSAA). Mr. C. R. Nambiar of Mumbai And Nhava-Sheva Ship-Agents Association (MANSA) is the current President. The office of the Federation functions under the aegis of the MANSA Secretariat.

The Executive Committee Members of the Federation are top Executives from various Shipping Companies from across the country and with their long experience in the industry they co-ordinate objectively to the committee.


The Main Objectives of the Federation

To aid, help, encourage and to co-ordinate the activities of the Membership Agents Associations to set in a united, cohesive, coherent, pan India manner upon common issues affecting shipping and transportation and to consult with Member Associations to derive and recommend courses of action to Regulatory Authorities, the Government of India, Port and Off Dock Terminals, Rail and Road carriers and other Organizations on common issues affecting shipping and transportation including multimodal transportation in all or any parts of India and to set code of conduct and sound and standard practices and systems for the Member Shipping Companies, as an integral part of the Indian shipping sector.


The Activities of the Federation

  1. Undertakes educational and research facilities for the benefit of Shipping Industries.
  2. Representation to the Government Authorities on various issues / matters to promote trade and encourage infrastructure development.
  3. Representations to bring in speedy and effective implementation and enforcement of various statues to help in the growth of shipping industries.
  4. Have meetings and make representations to Authorities to constructively take up Port/Shipping related issues forward such as Ports/Customs/TAMP.
  5. Work in close co-ordination with the Government and the Trade to bring in legislative reforms in the Port/Shipping Sector.
  6. Represent, promote and work for establishing and implementing the rights of the private Ports and Terminals Operators.
  7. To bring together various organizations, this shall play an important role in the growth of the Indian Shipping Industry.
  8. Co-operate and co-ordinate efforts with other like Organizations, Associations or Institutions in India and abroad for furtherance of the above objects.
  9. Communicate with various Chambers of Commerce and promote measures for the protection of Trade and Commerce.
  10. Make recommendations and send proposals for the Union Budget.
  11. Make recommendations on various Bills/proposed legislations.
  12. Provide a forum of Terminal Operators to bring forth their views.
  13. To work for the general good of the country and its business and to speed up the development of the Shipping Industry.