Maersk Essen makes for refuge in Mexico
After losing cargo in the Pacific, the containership is on its way to a port of refuge to conduct repairs and resume travels to Los Angeles.
By Michael McGrady, Maritime Direct Americas Correspondent
Copenhagen-based Maersk, the world’s largest containership line, announced earlier this month that its 13,100 TEU Maersk Essen vessel lost 750 container boxes during a storm in the Pacific. Reports suggest that the cargo loss occurred 430 nautical miles north northeast of Hawaii earlier this month.
The Danish-flagged Essen was en route to the port of Los Angeles, Calif., in the United States. On December 26, the containership departed a port in China on its regular route across the Pacific Ocean to Los Angeles. Essen was scheduled to arrive on January 22.
However, ship tracking consultancy Marine Traffic indicates that the vessel has diverted course southward to the APM Terminals Lazaro Cardena, in Michoacán, Mexico. The vessel’s current estimated time of arrival is expected between January 27 and 29.
“Given that the vessel has now diverted to a port of refuge, it is possible that shipowners may seek to declare general average in respect of permissible GA expenses such as port of refuge, storage and on forwarding costs,” reports WK Webster — a cargo claims consultancy. “We are seeking clarification from Maersk on this particular point, albeit we think it remains unlikely in all the circumstances.”
The Maritime Executive reports that Maersk will discharge cargo aboard the Essen, perform emergency repairs, and reload cargo and finally proceed to Los Angeles. This process will take roughly two to three weeks, the report notes.
