Bank Charges News

ITIC has warned shipping intermediaries to be on the look-out for cleverly forged documents which could result in them being held liable for substantial claims by cargo interests. In the latest issue of its Claims Review, ITIC refers to the case of a Belgian ship agent which released six containers of castor oil valued at $270,000 against a fraudulent bill of lading. The containers were to be shipped from India to Belgium, and although the bill of lading against which the ship agent released the cargo to the consignee appeared at first glance to be genuine, it was in fact a clever forgery. The shipper claimed that it had not been paid for the cargo, for which it still held the original bills of lading.

Ship operators and managers are benefitting from the administrative efficiency of a single payment system for port calls launched by Wilhelmsen Ships Service. A Float Account scheme operated by the company enables the ship operator to deposit a fixed amount with them to cover a month’s anticipated port calls. The sum is used to cover all the expenses of the operator’s vessels, wherever they call in the world. Wilhelmsen Ships Service’s global network, plus its “Ships Agency Re…