Contamination of the cargo by metallic particles

The products and clients involved

The cargo (STYRENE MONOMER, STABILIZED) was sent from Spain to Italy. 24.340 KG of the cargo had to be rejected as it had been contaminated by metallic particles.  

The incident

The contamination took place during the transport. Black particles could be seen at first sight, and were extracted with a magnet.

The challenges we faced

  • The cargo was rejected as there were particles suspended. The moment when the contamination happened was uncertain, reason why we thought the carrier could refused liability.
  • We had to look for documentation that could show the quality of the product before the transport, and also check whether the contamination could happen at the charging station.
  • Not only none of the other tankers sent during that period of time had the same results, but also an analysis of the cargo was carried out. Despite the fact that the origin of the particles was not determined, the quality certificate done before the loading made undeniable that the contamination happened during transport.

Conclusion

Even if the origin of the metallic particles was unknown, as it was clear that the cargo was damaged during the transport, the carrier was liable for this lost.