Society Marine Environment Protection Committee News

London Club warning on vessel arrests in Egypt

The London P&I Club has warned its members about a spate of vessel arrests in Egypt, and in particular the port of Suez, in respect of claims for unsettled invoices in respect of supplies and/or services which have supposedly been provided to vessels. Writing in the latest issue of its StopLoss Bulletin, the Club says that, although suppliers have submitted false invoices with apparently authentic signatures of ship's staff and the ship's stamp, in most instances the master has been unable to explain how these have been affixed to the invoice. In other cases, invoices have been completely forged. Suppliers and their lawyers have also ordered the arrest of vessels as security in some instances.