Careless errors resulting in expensive claims against ship agents

Warning of increased claims against ship agents because of errors, ITIC has cited the case of a ship agent which incorrectly calculated two pro forma invoices in respect of port dues, using the cheaper rate for a cargo of malt, rather than the rate for the cargo of wheat booked for discharge from two ships. The wheat cargos had been discharged and the final invoices for port dues sent out, before the error was discovered. The difference between the invoiced port dues and the correct port dues totalled €14,000. But the owner refused to make up the shortfall because, relying on what it had been told, it had in turn charged the lower amount to the charterer. The claim was settled by ITIC.