Shipbroker’s document delay leads to US$24,000 demurrage settlement, ITIC warns

A shipbroker contributed US$24,000 towards a settlement of a demurrage dispute after delays in forwarding key documents complicated a claim between shipowners and charterers, according to a case highlighted by International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC) in its most recent Claims Review.

The dispute concerned a demurrage claim, valued at approximately US$48,000, which the owners were pursuing against charterers for delays at discharge. The shipbroker became involved after failing to pass on supporting documents relating to the claim.

The owners’ claim was not entirely straightforward, and questions remained over whether all the supporting documentation had been provided in time. However, the broker’s delay in forwarding key documents meant the charterers’ objections did not reach the owners promptly, reducing the opportunity to address any deficiencies in the claim.

As liability and causation were not clear cut, ITIC assisted the shipbroker in negotiating a commercial settlement. Given the weaknesses in the underlying demurrage claim, the matter was settled with the shipbroker contributing US$24,000, half the value of the claim, towards the owners’ losses.

This story was originally published by Hellenic Shipping News. Read the full story at Hellenic Shipping News →