EC5 Service - MV “Yantian Express” (voyage 108E) – Update No. 20

Further to our recent status update, we confirm that the MV “Yantian Express” safely arrived at Halifax on May 20, 2019. Thereafter, she berthed at the terminal during the early morning on May 21 and commenced discharging her cargo.

To give you a better perspective of the reality of the operational situation facing the “Yantian Express,” please find below several key aspects involved:

• Given the particular complexity of the operational handling and considering the fire damage sustained by the vessel and related repairs to be undertaken, the intent is to totally discharge all containers (over 3,200) in Halifax. Once ashore, containers for which General Average and Salvage security has been provided (“secured containers”) will be stacked apart from those which remain unsecured (“unsecured containers”).
• We kindly remind customers concerned that unsecured containers cannot be released from the terminal until all appropriate security has been provided and any such release is confirmed by Richards Hogg Lindley (as General Average and Salvage Adjuster). We therefore again urge all cargo interests that are yet to provide General Average/Salvage securities to do so without further delay, in order to allow delivery of their cargo.
• It is anticipated that discharge of the 3,200 containers will take an estimated 85 hours of work. During this time, the MV “Yantian Express” must, at times, shift along the berth in order to allow access to other regularly scheduled vessels, and will thereafter shift back in order to resume cargo operations.
• We anticipate that the actual discharge operation will take 12 days or more.
• In respect of the forwarding of secured containers to final destination, please appreciate that the terminal cannot dig out or “cherry pick” specific containers once stacked ashore. Thus, secured containers will be moved to the rail (or transhipment vessel) for delivery in the most efficient and expedient manner in order to speed up the overall handling.
• As part of these operations, the vessel must also back load empty containers to achieve the necessary stability criteria for a subsequent safe passage to Asia where the vessel will undergo permanent repairs.

In light of these given circumstances, kindly appreciate that we are not in a position at this moment to estimate when specific containers will be discharged and when secured containers will move forward to their final destination.

In terms of cargo surveys, please note it is untenable to move containers to ground positions in Halifax for inspection, not to mention the lack of space on the terminal, delays to be encountered, etc. As such, all cargo surveys, if required, must be performed at final destination.

After the container is secured and all General Average and Salvage securities paid, all further activities should move in the normal course of business.

Cargo Interests should inform us about any alleged damage to their cargo as soon as possible, following delivery.

If, as a cargo interest, you select to conduct a survey of the cargo, please advise Hapag-Lloyd of the date and time of any such survey, so that we may appoint our own surveyor to carry out our own inspection, either jointly or independently, where appropriate.

For all other information, we invite you to call our dedicated hotline directly at the following telephone number:

+ 1 833-445-6397

Alternatively you are also welcome to contact us via following email address:

[email protected]

We shall keep you closely informed on further developments.

Best regards

Hapag-Lloyd AG

Disclaimer
For the avoidance of doubt, the above statements and comments are: (I) non-conclusive, subject to change, and being provided for informational purposes only, and (II) given without prejudice to or waiver of any rights, remedies, defenses, and limitations contained in the relevant underlying contracts of carriage as evidenced by Hapag-Lloyd AG’s standard Bill of Lading and/or Sea Waybill and the Hapag-Lloyd Tariff applicable thereto and/or any other applicable agreement governing the carriage of the subject cargo, or any cargo carried on board the vessel at the time of the incident, as the case may be, all of which said terms and conditions continue to remain in full force and effect, without any modification or waiver.