In the fourth quarter of last year we earned a new containerized freight customer. Earning a new customer to supply cargo insurance to in itself isn’t unusual. What was unusual was it was a commodity that would typically go bulk in a ship’s hold. If you are not familiar with bulk shipping think of the difference between buying… Read more »
Cargo damage, reducing freight damage, reducing claims
Whether they are importers, exporters, or freight forwarders, most of my cargo insurance customers are international shippers. It’s the nature of the business. With this in mind I reviewed the articles and blogs I have written and the heavy international theme shows in most articles. To that I can only say…shame on me. I have been totally neglecting the… Read more »
Hats Off To a New Type of Shipping Container The Sequel, ‘The Pop Top Box’
Have I ever mentioned I am a little obsessive? Not obsessive about everything, just some things. I drag my forgiving wife Cyndi to many places she really does not want to visit to see things she really doesn’t want to see, but I just ‘had to see it’. From the ruins of colonial towns and forts to vintage… Read more »
Cargo Insurance, General Average
Most maritime carriers don’t mention general average as a part of their marketing. Other than us cargo insurance nerds, people don’t even talk about general average. Consequently most shippers don’t know exactly what ‘general average’ is and what the possible risks are to those who are international ocean shippers. Even though forms of general average code can… Read more »
Container Rates Go Up, Container Rates Go Down.
As a result of the wheels coming off Hanjin mid last year I wrote a piece on August 31st 2016 that rates were going to go up and they did. The article can be reviewed at https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/hanjin-falls-down-rates-shoot-up-tom-o-malley?trk=mp-reader-card for a refresher. The writing on the wall was pretty clear. I was stating the obvious. Real live capacity was suddenly… Read more »
Shipping Container
Ever wonder where the standard ocean shipping container came from? If so, you may want to get a hobby or get out more. Maybe a couple of those after work ‘networking’ gatherings (that just happen to take place in a bar) are in order. You really shouldn’t be wondering about things as geeky as where… Read more »
Hanjin is broke so who will pay?
Hanjin is broke so who will pay? Hanjin is so broke they can’t even pay attention, and that’s a problem. At last count there were more than 80 vessels on the water or stranded outside ports carrying about a half million containers. Unfortunately for Hanjin, and their shippers, finding safe harbors who won’t allow creditors to seize… Read more »