Whilst on a voyage from Morocco to Mexico the cargo vessel m.v. "HARNS" (6,301gt, built 2001) laden with a cargo of 8,400mt monoammonium phosphate in bulk ran aground on a reef off the Dominican Republic.

Svitzer Salvage BV signed a Lloyd's Open Form salvage contract (English law and jurisdiction) with owners. General average was declared and shipowners appointed ACG Schoutens Average Adjusters in Rotterdam. Salvors refloated the casualty and delivered the vessel to a place of safety.

We are acting on behalf of the insurers of the MAP cargo to assist in the defence of the salvage claim, the recovery action against the contractual carrier and the defence of the general average claim.

Whilst on a voyage from the ports of Horta and Praia da Victoria to Ponta Delgada (plus Lisbon and Leixoes), m.v. "S GABRIEL" (4,454gt, built 2002) laden with 40 or so containers, cars and livestock, grounded on the south coast of St Michael's Island close to the town of Lagoa, about 10NM from the port of Ponta Delgada, resulting in water ingress.

Titan Maritime (UK) Limited signed a Lloyd's Open Form salvage contract with the owners on 24 November 2009 and SCOPIC was invoked. Shipowners have declared general average and appointed Stichling Hahn Hilbrich GmbH in Hamburg as general average adjusters.

The vessel was redelivered on 7 December at Ponta Delgada.

Waltons & Morse LLP act on behalf of insurers of most of the container shells onboard m.v. "S GABRIEL".

The bulk carrier "MEDEA K" (9,529gt, built 1978) developed a list in West African waters and was abandoned by its crew. The casualty was laden with approximately 12,000mt of logs and was on a voyage from West Africa to China.

Five Oceans Salvage signed a Lloyd's Open Form salvage contract with the owners on 31 October 2009. Tugs were mobilised to assist together with a salvage team from Europe. The LOF services were eventually terminated in Piraeus.

We are acting for insurers of part of the logs cargo onboard the casualty at the date of the casualty.

The general cargo vessel "KIMON A" (14,069gt, built 1983) suffered a main engine breakdown on voyage from Texas to Bari and was towed to Las Palmas as a port of refuge. Temporary repairs were effected and the vessel proceeded under her own power to Bari where the cargo has been discharged.

The shipowners declared general average and appointed De Witt Stern, Imperatore Limited in Jersey City as general average adjusters. Customary general average securities were required from cargo interests before the receivers could take delivery of the cargo.

We are instructed by the insurers of the shipment of 21,000 tonnes "Alamo" wheat in bulk onboard the vessel at the time of this incident.

The Seaspan Corporation operated fully cellular container vessel "CSCL HAMBURG" (built 2001 of 39,941grt) ran aground off Sharma El Sheik on 31 December 2009 at approximately 16 knots, whilst on voyage to Singapore.

"CSCL HAMBURG" was laden with approximately 2,000 containers of which about 1,600 are thought to be empty.

As a consequence of the grounding incident, the forepeak tank became tidal and some water gained entry into no. 1 hold.

On or about 3 January 2010 Smit Salvage BV were awarded a Lloyd's Form Contract (LOF 2000) to salve "CSCL HAMBURG", her containers and cargo.

Local Egyptian salvors had been rendering services to the grounded "CSCL HAMBURG". It is understood that Smit Salvage sub-contracted the Egyptians and/or settled their claim for salvage remuneration out of their own funds. We are led to believe that the amounts involved were very substantial indeed.

Smit successfully refloated "CSCL HAMBURG" on 8 January/overnight 8/9 without the need to lighten cargo.

Underwater surveys were conducted to ascertain the extent of the hull damage.

Smit's Lloyd's Form services were terminated by agreement on 22 January with the casualty still in Egyptian territorial waters.

The shipowners declared general average and appointed Stichling Hahn Hilbrich in Hamburg as GA adjusters. SHH are pursuing cargo interests for GA security by way of a receivers' signed bond and an insurers' signed guarantee.

Smit are seeking salvage security from cargo in an amount equal to 65% of the CIF value of each shipment (in Euros). It is understood that the salvage security demand is so high because (a) the value of cargo onboard "CSCL HAMBURG" is thought to be somewhat less than originally envisaged; and (b) the large sums of money Smit say they were obliged to pay the Egyptian salvors.

For the purposes of Lloyd's Form salvage defence, we represent those concerned with over 1,350 container shells onboard the casualty.

The bulk carrier "ALINA II" (92,191gt, built 1986) breached one of its forward double bottom tanks, resulting in trimming severely by the head.

We are instructed on behalf of cargo insurers.

The bulk carrier "FILITSA" (14,431gt, built 1996) was hijacked by Somali pirates on 9 November north-east of the Seychelles

Owners have declared General Average and are requesting security in the normal format.

We are acting for insurers of part cargo on board.

The vehicle carrier, UK flagged "ASIAN GLORY" (44,818gt, built 1994) was hijacked by pirates whilst en route from Shanghai to Jeddah carrying 2,405 vehicles including a significant number of new KIA and Hyundai cars.

We are instructed on behalf of reinsurers of part cargo on board.

The livestock carrier "DANNY FII" (24,731gt, built 1976) encountered difficulties in heavy weather and sank with a loss of all livestock cargo and unfortunate loss of the lives of a number of crew members.

We are instructed on behalf of London cargo reinsurers.

The chemical tanker "PRAMONI" was attacked and seized by pirates on 1 January 2010 in the Gulf of Aden. The vessel was reportedly fully laden and on a voyage from Italy to India at the time of hijacking.

Details on the hijacking and owners' intentions regarding declaration of GA are not clear at this precise time.

We are instructed by those interested with cargo laden onboard the vessel at the time of the hijacking.