NEW YORK's American Institute of Marine Underwriters
(AIMU) seminar drew attention to
the risks of mega ships producing enormous losses because of huge number of
cargo interests involved.
Major casualties in the last 18
months have included fatal blaze last March on the 15,252-TEU Maersk Honam,
the fire on the 7,510-TEU Yantian Express in January this year, noted Colchester's
Seatrade Maritime News.
One panellist, a beneficial cargo
owner, noted that General Average was an ancient concept, but it was now
inappropriate where ships carried cargo belonging to thousands.
In both the cases of Maersk Honam
and the Yantian Express General Average was declared, where all BCOs shared in
the overall loss.
Showing a picture of a large mega
ship, with nearly two dozen rows of boxes stacked high, to the group, the
panellist expressed a great frustration that each box could generate multiple
emails that would keep claims staff busy non-stop for weeks.
He added that the paperwork swirling
around, needed to settle claims, would frequently contain errors, or was
incomplete.
The speaker, who works with a
leading cargo claims consultant, suggested that a move to a more streamlined
system of electronic documentation would go a long way towards smoother and
quicker resolution of claims.
"The system is broken," he
said. "It was not designed for vessels like this", referring to the
18,000 TEUer on the screen.
"With more data now, this
debate will re-open. Large containerships do indeed present more risk." An
actual study on this subject has been undertaken by the TT Club.
According to the TT
Club a major containership fire occurs every 60 days and that as the
size of containerships increase so does the potential risk and consequence of a
large explosion or fire.
The club noted in a loss prevention
bulletin last September that the capability to respond to a fire at sea had not
progressed at the same rate as ship capacities and the large array of cargoes
carried.
Source : HKSG.
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