APL Chiwan

23 Jun 2011

While en-route to Chiwan, the vessel, APL Chiwan, developed main engine camshaft problem on 19 June 2011. The crew managed to implement temporary repairs on the main engine and vessel was able to proceed on her original voyage on 21 June 2011. At 2210 hours on 21 June 2011, while vessel was some 100 miles from Hong Kong, a small fire broke out in the engine room but was quickly extinguished. However, as a result, vessel has become immobile and owner has arranged for a tug to bring vessel into Hong Kong.

Fortunately, there is no interruption to electrical power on the vessel all this while and there is no damage to cargo onboard.

We plan to discharge all containers from the vessel at Hong Kong and on forward these to final destination on the next available vessel(s).

In view of the fire accident, owners of the APL Chiwan have declared General Average. General Average is a long established, internationally-recognized legal procedure where the vessel owners, charterers and cargo owners are required to share the cost of “any extraordinary sacrifice or expenditure . . . voluntarily and reasonably made or incurred in time of peril to preserve the ship and cargo.” As General Average has been declared, the owners of the APL Chiwan have exercised their lien on your cargo pending the submission of the Average Bond and General Average Guarantee.

Owners will be appointing a General Average adjuster who will issue instructions to all cargo owners regarding what will be needed to release the lien on their cargo. We will keep you advised when such instructions from the General Average adjuster are received.

We recommend you contact your cargo insurer immediately and advise them that your cargo is subject to a General Average declaration related to the fire accident in the engine room of the APL Chiwan.

APL press release