Chapter 16 - Investigating losses occurring during shipment: forensic aspects of cargo claims

Abstract

Innovation during the last few decades has allowed great advances to be made in the quality and range of fresh produce enjoyed in places far from the site of production. However, such is the complexity of organizing the preparation and transportation of perishable commodities that, occasionally, a consignment may arrive in poor condition or even be a total loss. The cargo receiver loses money and therefore needs to make a claim. Consequently, it becomes necessary to identify the cause(s) of deterioration. This chapter outlines the background and procedure involved in investigating losses in refrigerated fruits and vegetables carried by sea, but similar principles could be applied to consignments transported by air, road, or rail. Detailed evidence, collected during outturn surveys and from documents, can be used to determine whether the deterioration can be traced to preshipment or shipboard factors, or a combination of both. Two case studies are presented.