Dry Bulk Cargo Shortage Claims
Quantity determination on a dry bulk voyage: draught survey against shore figures, the tolerances, and where a shortage claim lands between the parties.
A dry bulk shortage claim arises when the tonnage recorded at discharge falls short of the bill of lading figure, and it turns on which measurement is preferred. The ship relies on a draught survey; the terminal relies on a weighbridge, a belt scale or a silo measurement, and the two disagree routinely within a tolerance the parties argue over.
The full article will cover the sources of apparent shortage, including measurement error at each end, moisture loss or gain in transit, cargo remaining on board in the holds and the conveyor system, and genuine loss overside or through a leaking hatch.
It will also cover where the claim lands, the effect of a letter of protest, the evidential weight of a draught survey conducted by an independent surveyor, and the cargo-specific issues on degradable cargoes such as wood pellets, where fines generation changes the character of the cargo without changing its mass.