Timber tango

A ship called at a Southeast Asian port to load a cargo of timber. Local regulations required a quarantine clearance certificate to be issued before loading could begin.

The ship agent mistakenly released the loading authorisation to the terminal before the required inspection had taken place. As a result, the cargo was loaded onboard the ship. Shortly afterwards, the authorities advised that the timber still needed to be inspected. As the inspection could only be carried out ashore, the entire cargo had to be discharged, inspected, and then reloaded before the inspection.

Owners sought to recover the resulting losses from the agent, including cargo handling costs, ship delay, additional charter hire, and related operational expenses.

The costs totalled US$52,350, which were reimbursed in full.

It is the responsibility of agents to understand and comply with local regulatory requirements. Care should be taken to ensure that all inspections, approvals, and documentation are in place before authorising cargo operations, as even a small oversight can result in significant delays and costs.