Latest updates from global maritime claims advisor WK Webster and an official customer notice from Maersk confirm that the owners of the container vessel “Kyparissia” (for which Maersk is the charterer, not the owner) have declared General Average following a fire incident.

The fire broke out at noon local time on November 7 at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) in Malaysia. The vessel, owned and managed by Costamare and on time charter to Maersk, was involved in an accident that resulted in three fatalities and three injuries.

Maersk Customer Notice: General Average

In a customer notice sent on the morning of December 2, Maersk stated that cargo owners must provide a security guarantee to the General Average Adjusters, Richards Hogg Lindley, before their cargo can be released and forwarded for subsequent transport.

Containers on board the vessel cannot be transshipped or delivered until the required security formalities with the Adjusters are completed.

To assist clients in arranging the necessary security, Maersk has provided the following contact details for the General Average Adjusters and its internal team:

• Average Adjusters: Richards Hogg Lindley

• kyparissiacasualty@rhl-ct.com

• Maersk Value Protect Team

• valueprotectGA@maersk.com

Maersk reminds all customers that the subject line of their emails must include: the vessel name (Kyparissia), container number, and Bill of Lading number.

Example: Value Protect – Kyparissia – Container Number – Bill of Lading

Understanding General Average

General Average is a principle of maritime law where, in an emergency, if a sacrifice is made or an expense is intentionally incurred to save the entire venture (ship, cargo, and freight) from a common peril, the loss is shared proportionally by all parties involved.

Once General Average is declared, it means that cargo owners with goods on board the vessel must also share in the liability. They are required to provide a General Average security (guarantee) before they can take delivery of their cargo.

Incident Recap

According to a report from the Malaysian National Fire and Rescue Department, the container ship “Kyparissia” caught fire at the Port of Tanjung Pelepas (PTP) on November 7. The accident resulted in three fatalities and three injuries.

A Maersk spokesperson confirmed that the fire occurred while the “Kyparissia” was in the process of discharging cargo. An explosion in a concentrated container stacking area caused the fire.

The “Kyparissia” has a maximum capacity of 4,957 TEU and a deadweight tonnage of 70,461. The Maltese-flagged vessel was built in 2014, measures 255.34 meters in length and 37.41 meters in breadth, and primarily operates on routes covering ports such as Apapa in Nigeria, Cotonou in Benin, and Singapore.

The accident led to three casualties, including one crew member. Malaysian authorities disclosed that the three deceased were from Malaysia, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.

Source: YunQuNa