The easiest way to win reefer cargo claims

Fresh and frozen cargo claims recoveries from liable carriers can be daunting, and in some cases, you might feel like giving up. Here’s what you can do to seriously enhance your chances to be paid.

Cargo exporters very often receive claim rejections from shipping lines based on “pre-shipment issues”, “hot stuff”, “load, stow, count” clauses. More often than not, shippers struggle to settle claims or settle at the higher level due to a lack of pre-shipment cargo evidence – proof of cargo condition at the origin.

So, if you are still reading this, then our advice to you is… photograph, photograph, and photograph!

Your smartphone must be your best friend if you are an exporter.

The photographs an exporter took during stuffing the container evidencing the condition, temperature, packing of the cargo at the time of stowage will greatly improve the chances of a successful claim outcome.

A further word of advice… Remember to keep the photos on your phone, or download and save them, until the consignee has confirmed that your cargo has reached its destination and there is no reason to submit a claim.

Fresh produce sales to foreign countries is a cutthroat time in the marketplace among all exporters. Make sure you take pictures and videos to prove that the cargo you loaded to the container was precooled, packed, stuffed, stowed as per best industry practices.

It costs zero to execute and saves money and time when cargo is damaged in transit.