The fully cellular container ship "MSC CHITRA" (built 1980, 33,113 gt and 2314 TEU) collided with the bulk carrier "KHALIJIA 3 (built 1985, 22,525gt) off the Coast of Mumbai.

Reports advise that the "MSC CHITRA" lost some 400 containers into the sea and is now grounded inside Mumbai Port limits, listing heavily. The local Coastguard are now working to clear spills of potentially hazardous chemicals and 500 tonnes of oil which escaped following the collision, with the assistance of Indian Navy helicopters, ships and divers.

Smit have been engaged on Lloyd's Open Form 2000 (LOF) terms to salve the "MSC CHITRA", her containers and her cargo.

We are instructed by insurers on behalf of part cargo laden onboard the "MSC CHITRA" at the time of the collision in relation to the incident.

The combined chemical / products tanker "CHEMTRANS ALSTER" (8,539GRT, built 2008) laden with quantities of liquid caustic soda and liquid tallow ran aground on or about 11 June 2010 on a reef about 7nm north east of the port of Tuxpan, Mexico.

The cargo was in bound for Tuxpan.

Owners contracted with local salvors T&T Bisso (on the terms of a Wreckhire 99 agreement) to refloat and deliver the grounded "CHEMTRANS ALSTER".

After partial lightening, T&T Bisso successfully refloated "CHEMTRANS ALSTER" and delivered the cargo to Tuxpan.

Owners declared General Average and appointed General Average adjusters, Stichling Hahn Hilbrich in Hamburg. General Average security has been demanded from both parcels of cargo.

Our instructions emanate from those concerned with the shipment of liquid caustic soda and relate to the defence of the General Average claim.

The 2005 Japanese built container carrier "KOTA KADO" (31,070grt and 3,081TEU) struck an underwater obstruction between Miaowan and Beijian Islands off Hong Kong on 29 June 2010.

The vessel sustained flooding to her forepeak tank and numbers 2 and 3 cargo holds. The bottom tank room also flooded. Fearing for the safety of his vessel, the Master deliberately beached "KOTA KADO" in Hong Kong waters on the following day.

The ship owners declared General Average and appointed Richards Hogg Lindley as General Average adjusters.

Hull interests awarded a Lloyd's Form contract (LOF 2000) to Svitzer Salvage to salve "KOTA KADO", her containers and cargo. The salvage operation is continuing.

It is believed that approximately 1,000 of the containers on board "KOTA KADO" have now been discharged by the salvors and landed ashore at Hong Kong. Cargo in the remaining 500 or so boxes are thought to be severely water damaged. Those containers remain on the beached "KOTA KADO".

The salvors have made a provisional security demand from the sound cargo of 80% of the CIF value of each shipment.

We are representing part cargo in relation to Lloyd's Form and General Average defence aspects.

The fully cellular container ship "CHARLOTTE MAERSK" (91560 gt, built 2002) suffered a fire in the Strait of Malacca on 7 July whilst enroute to Oman.

Svitzer Salvage are rendering salvage services although we understand not under Lloyd's Open Form. It is not clear as to how many of the 1,000 containers onboard have been damaged as a result of the fire.

Vessel owners have declared General Average. Stichling Hahn Hilbrich of Hamburg have been appointed and are requesting the normal GA security.

We are instructed by insurers concerned with a significant part of the containerised cargo laden onboard the vessel at the time of the casualty to advise on GA security and investigate the cause of the fire and potential GA defence.

The feeder container carrier "MAERSK NAHA" (built 2005 of 33,082 tonnes dead weight and 2524 TEU's) sustained main engine damage on 17 June 2010 whilst on voyage from Salalah, Oman to Port Qasim, Pakistan laden with containerised cargo.

The casualty proceeded with reduced power to Port Qasim but was not allowed to enter the port without the main engine being in an operational state. As repairs to the vessel could not be carried out in the roads off Port Qasim, hull interests engaged a tug to tow the vessel to Dubai as a port of refuge to undertake repairs. "MAERSK NAHA" is presently under tow and is expected to arrive at Jebel Ali on 3 July 2010.

Charterers are making arrangements to forward the containerised cargo from Jebel Ali to Port Qasim (and to final destinations) by substitute vessels.

The ship owners have declared General Average and appointed Stichling Hahn Hilbrich in Hamburg as General Average adjusters. General Average security is required (in the form of a signed insurers guarantee and a signed receivers bond) prior to delivery of all property. General Average has been provisionally estimated at 3.5% of the CIF value of all cargo.

We are instructed by part cargo in relation to owners' General Average claim

On 1 May 2010 the container carrier / general cargo ship "PIYA BHUM" (built 1985, 11,762grt and 1008 TEU) ran aground at Surabaya, Indonesia whilst entering the Surabaya Channel near buoy number 2 during hours of daylight.

All attempts at self-refloatation were unsuccessful.

The shipowners notified on 12 May 2010 that they had signed a Lloyd's Form Salvage Agreement (LOF 2000) was signed with Smit Singapore Pte Ltd. Refloating operations are continuing.

Owners declared General Average and have appointed Marine Claims Office of Asia Pte Ltd ("MCO") as General Average adjusters.

MCO have served notice that they will be collecting both salvage and General Average security.

"PIYA BHUM" is laden with approximately 500 loaded containers.

We are representing those concerned with part cargo in relation to Lloyd's Form salvage defence and the General Average aspect.

In December 2009, the M.V. "NORDSTAR" discharged part cargo at Takoradi, Ghana and then moved to the anchorage and reported engine problems.

On 15 January 2010, General Average was declared and shipowners appointed Schlimme & Partner, Hamburg.

The vessel still had cargo for another four ports on board and it was agreed that this should be discharged at Takoradi. This was completed in April 2010 and the vessel was due to be towed to Abidjan, Ivory Coast for repairs.

We are representing cargo interests in relation to the General Average defence and possible recovery.

In January 2010 the bulk carrier "MERCURY K" began drifting at Jorf Lasfar Anchorage and ran aground on rocks.

Smit tugs were able to refloat the casualty and her cargo of steam coal and re-deliver the casualty at Cadiz.

General Average was declared by the shipowners.

We are representing cargo insurers in the defence of the Lloyd's Form Salvage claim.

The 2009 built chemical/products tanker "SICHEM OSPREY" ran aground towards the end of February 2010 on Clipperton Island, a remote atoll, approximately 750nm off Mexico, in the course of a voyage from the United States to South Korea laden with parcels of soybean oil, xylene and tallow.

Svitzer Salvage were contracted on Lloyd's form terms to salve "SICHEM OSPREY" and her cargo.

Following discharge at the grounding site of the soybean oil and tallow cargo into a lightening tanker, the salvors successfully refloated the casualty and escorted her to Manzanillo.

As a consequence of the underwater damage sustained, "SICHEM OSPREY" was unable to complete the contractual voyage. All cargo was subsequently transferred to a further lightening vessel for delivery to ports in South Korea.

The shipowners declared General Average and appointed Richards Hogg Lindley.

We are representing those concerned with the soybean oil shipment in relation to salvage and General Average defence and possible recovery.

The Greek managed bulk carrier "THEODORE JR" suffered a fire in her engine room off Ceuta on or about 19 March 2010.

The casualty was laden with rock phosphate from Togo to Varna.

Five Oceans rendered salvage services pursuant to the terms of a Lloyd's Form Salvage Agreement and the services were terminated with the vessel at Kynossoura.

We are advising the cargo insurers in relation to a defence of the salvage claim.