P&I Publications

The present paper was specifically worked out to familiarize the readers with the Loss Prevention Programme of the Club. This risk management programme is combining various effective practical solutions addressing the real life demands s of the Club members plus their professional experience with the research into the broader issues that are directly impacting on the insurance and exposure to claims.

The Club is deals with huge number of claims annually, utilizing the professional experience with knowledge of the claims handlers, lawyers and former seafarers. The insight that has been gained from numerous claims has enabled the Club to develop and subsequently implement a structured approach to the risk analysis, engaging both company managers and crew members of the ships to take part in and prioritize the risk management processes on board their vessels. Subject methodology is aimed to demonstrate how exactly the major hazards may occur and what measures can be taken in order to prevent them.

The development of the data diagrams of the incident causes and their consequences with the crews, management and Club helps is very beneficial. The transparency of such approach will definitely enable the risk management to be prioritized, reducing all associated risks in the tough financial times of today...

The present briefing is intended to provide all interested parties with the general thoughts and required guidance relating to the dealing with the discrepancies between vessel and shore figures at a port of loading and on the utilization of the protest letters in such circumstances. The content of the publication comprises of the practical guidance followed by the fundamental theoretical information.

The practical guidance starts with the explanation of the insistence on the shore figures by the shippers and charterers. The major issue for the Masters when their vessel and shore figures are not matching during the loading of the liquid cargo is to make a decision on whether he could issue a truly honest bill of lading, i.e. the one not deceiving the receivers of the cargo into thinking that they are getting something that the vessel is not actually able to deliver.

The vitally important decision for the Master in these cases is to decide if the discrepancy lies within the acceptable margin. If so, then either of the figures can be correct. Issuing the bill of lading with the figures known to be false or the ones where the Master does not believe in their truth, would mean issuing a dishonest bill of lading. And, the definition of the acceptable margin varies from one loading to another, according to the particular circumstances and facts...

The correct, satisfactory and adequate securing and stowage of the cargo are of critical importance for the overall safety of the ship's crew, the ship, and the cargo itself. If the cargo is not properly stowed and secured, taking into account the time of the year and the intended voyage, subject cargo may easily get shifted from its original position and start moving, potentially sustaining serious damage and also causing the damage to the vessel and even endanger the human lives.

The content of the present LP Guide is intended to take the readers through some fundamental practical rules that shall be remembered by all people involved in cargo operations during each loafing and securing of the cargo; it clearly describes where they can found all relevant rules and regulations, general industry recommendations and required guidance, as well as the recommended established methods that shall be used for specific cargo items; it also provides readers with the necessary guidance related to the points to remember during the planning of the passage and during the passage itself.

The authors of the volume has set out the fundamentals and give the references to the documents providing the rules to follow. The Guide contains lot of the useful information, e.g. relating to the calculation of the lashings, taken from the relevant Codes, but only those considered essential to make the text clearly understood...

Some twenty years ago, a simple questionnaire was issued by the North of England P&I Association asking for their practical experiences related to the issue of the Bills of Lading together with the subsequent delivery of the cargoes against them. The answers received were analyzed and revealed numerous specific problems setting the recurring theme, namely the disagreements between the shore and ship's figures, pressure on the ship master to issue clean document, agents signing the bills of lading with no reference to the receipts from the mate or exceeding their authority, and requests for the cargo delivery with no original bill of lading produces.

The present guide starts with some brief introductory information about the bills of lading. In most of the international transactions where the cargoes are to be transported by sea, the seller promises to do two major things - the first thing is to place the goods on board a vessel, and the second thing is to provide all commercial documents that are required by the contract in place - and the central of those documents is commonly the bill of lading. The Master of the vessel describes the apparent order and condition of the cargo received on board. In some cases the Master is pressed to hide the information that would make the bill of lading look less attractive to the buyers...