Gard P&I Club says that many claims relating to heat damage in soya bean cargoes loaded in South America, particularly Brazil and Uruguay, mostly for discharge in China have been reported this year. Due to the relatively high value of soya beans and the fairly large quantities shipped, the disputes have in some cases involved multi-million dollar claims. In a recently published loss prevention article, Gard P&I Club highlights the importance of inspections as important visible signs that fall under the phrase “apparent condition” can reveal at an early stage the problem and recommends guidelines to assist operations involved in the transportation of soya bean cargoes.
It is important to remember that there is an obligation in law, under the relevant cargo carriage liability regimes, to inspect the cargo’s apparent order and condition at loading, to enable the Master to ensure that the bill of lading is accurate in its description of these items. The same regimes obliges the Master and his crew to properly care for the cargo once loaded.
Continue reading “Gard P&I Club advises on ways to minimise heat damage risk in soya bean cargoes”
