Shippers with cargo on the Maersk Frankfurt, which has been experiencing fires on board for six days, have been or will be served General Average (GA) notices by the vessel owner Tokei Kaiun, as reported by the latest update from Maersk. The Danish carrier informed affected customers that once the containers are discharged from the vessel at a safe location, they will not be released for further transportation until cargo interests have made the required security arrangements through GA adjusters. Maersk mentioned that guidelines regarding the GA process will soon be issued.
Despite ongoing firefighting operations, the Maersk Frankfurt remains in a stable condition according to a source at Maersk. The Indian Coast Guard has been working to tackle sporadic fires in smouldering containers using dry chemical powder dropped onto the ship from a helicopter. Maersk acknowledged that it is unable to confirm the exact status of the cargo on board and is maintaining continuous contact with the vessel owner. It is also uncertain where the vessel will berth for cargo unloading once it is declared “seaworthy.”
The Maersk Frankfurt, built in 2024 and owned by Japan’s Tokei Kaiun, was part of the FI3 service with a specific rotation. The vessel was on a time-charter to Maersk and managed by Bernard Schulte Shipmanagement. Industry experts anticipate that apportioning salvage costs to each cargo owner and recovering them will be a challenging and time-consuming process. GA adjusters may take months or even years to raise claims, making it a daunting task for shippers to cover their portion of claims before containers can be released. Cargo loaded without insurance coverage could ultimately be abandoned, particularly low-value shipments.
