Expertise

Utilising our extensive service and claims experience we work with our Clients to develop optimal case management strategies. What ever method of routing is used for the shipment of goods, things can and do go wrong and when that happens we are ready to step in, assess the full extent of the problem and deliver cost effective solutions. We look for solutions beyond the horizon.

Our services can include carrying out routine cargo damage surveys of shipments or investigation into multi million pound cargo loss, damages, causalities and disputes.

We were commissioned by Clients to attend at Riga Port, Latvia to inspect to a Locomotive engine valued at in excess of US$ 1 Million which was reported as damaged and leaking oil. The engine was in transit from the USA to Kazakhstan, via the Russian railway network. From that attendance, we were able to assess the extent and cause of the problem, make recommendations for repacking and an alternative method of transport for onward carriage that resulted in the consignment arriving at destination and no claim lodged against the Clients.

Our services may not always require surveys to be undertaken and in many cases investigations into the losses and associated contractual implications can be carried out at the desk. Using our expertise as surveyors and loss investigators we can ensure that the correct documents are properly assessed and the loss adjusted in accordance with the relevant contractual terms.

We were appointed by Clients to investigate the damage to computer equipment during an air freight transit from the USA to Hong Kong. A claim of US$ 33,800 had been presented, and without the need for survey we were able to review all of the evidence and consider all the issues of causation. Under the appropriate contractual terms we were able to successfully negotiate settlement on behalf of the Client in the sum of US$190 all within less than a week of the papers being referred to us.

Quite often claims of significant value can arise, even when there is no actual loss or damage to cargo. This can arise from regulatory failures in the way the shipment is done, or compliance issues, or breaches of customs process. Since our inception we have built up an array of many successful cases on behalf of Clients, protecting them from the risk of high value losses and cargo seizures.

A consignment of Pharmaceuticals was imported into the EU and as a result of a documentary error at Swedish border control, the Swedish Customs Authority sought to impose financial sanctions and penalties on our client amounting to over €uro 10 million. We carried out a full case review with the transporters and carriers in Germany and Sweden and then completed a full case strategy and explanation, and made a personal representation to Swedish Customs. This resulted in the sanctions and penalties being with drawn against cargo owners and carriers. Our fee costs amounted to less than 0.1% of the overall €uro 10 million cost saving to the client.

We have handled losses arising from a number of major ship fires and casualties, warehouse fires and are routinely dealing with cases for a claim value in excess of £1M. Since it’s inception Carter Marine has dealt with over £300M in claims. We have handled a number of claims involving warehouse fires including 2 which arose from the complete loss of all multi customer cargoes contained within.

We were retained by Clients to investigate the cause, circumstances and cargo damage to a warehouse in the middle east, housing multi customer goods including hazardous and non hazardous chemicals, all valued up to US$10 million. We carried out on site investigations and case managed forensic fire investigators attendance, plus reviewed all documents with each claimant and undertook claim negotiations and final settlement discussions.