History
The Beginning
My father, the late Albert Morcos, started as a shipping agent in Beirut since 1945, representing a couple of lines at a time when no deep sea port existed in Syria. In 1955, Latakia started to operate as a deep sea port, and my father became one of the first agents in Syria. Bahhar LLC represented major international lines at that time, to mention a few: CGM, Svenska Orient Lines (SOL), Finland Steamship Co/, Finncarrier, Polish Ocean Lines and Niver Lines. Until the year1981, when the state owned organization of Shipco took over the private shipping agencies.
Working Procedure With Shipco
Since the taking over by Shipco, our main role was to act as a backing up agent to the same lines we had used to represent. This was of prime importance from the very start mainly because the taking over has come abruptly and as a total surprise to all concerned, including owners, operators, shippers and receivers. Besides, the taking over has been assigned in a most disorganized manner and to a newly formed organization with no experience in shipping and staffed at hurry with employees not well versed in shipping matters. Services to owners and clientele have been since deteriorating, especially after the taking over of the P and I clubs services by the same organization. As a result of this unpleasant state of affairs and the frequency of gaps, shortcomings, misjudgments, and mishandling of routine agency matters, we have become ourselves more and more involved in backing up services, and therefore, in keeping our offices fully operational and well staffed with experienced officers and employees
The Return of the Private Agencies
In 2002, the private agencies have been liberalized and we have immediately started acting as such attending to all requirements of ship owners and line operators. Today, Bahhar LLC has two branches in the two main ports of Syria: Latakia and Tartous, with representatives in Damascus and Aleppo. Bahhar is owned and managed by Habib Morcos who is also the honorary consul of The Repiublic of Finland.
Habib A. Morcos
