Charcoal chagrin

A shipping line issued instructions to all its liner agents that when accepting cargoes of charcoal, a self-heating test certificate must be provided before loading onto the ship.

The agent failed to advise the shipper of this requirement in advance, only notifying them once a number of containers had already been delivered to the port. The seller of the cargo was unable to provide the certificate to the shipper straight away.

Whilst the shipper waited for the certificates the containers incurred port charges which amounted to EUR15,000.

The shipper refused to pay as they had not been advised of the need for a certificate before the containers arrived.

The agent was held responsible for these costs by the line.