Food & Other Dry Commodities
Typical Projects
Bananas
High risk cargoes such as bananas require careful control over each stage of shipment, during harvesting in the plantation, pre-shipment handling and storage and during laden voyage. When things go wrong, detection is usually at the port of discharge and invariably the ship is the prime target for liability. CWA is frequently called upon to investigate the nature and extent of the damage to bananas and other refrigerated fresh produce, the ship's performance over the laden passage and conditions of pre-shipment.
Damaged Grain Cargoes
CWA has been regularly engaged in the survey and investigation of damaged grain cargo incidents and, in other cases, to provide expert advice for parties engaged in cargo claims under litigation. Where appropriate, the interpretation of survey findings is supported by fundamental scientific and quantitative analysis of heat and mass transfer, condensation and moisture migration.
Vietnamese Rice Cargoes
CWA has been deeply involved in a number of incidents involving shipments of Vietnamese rice. We have made extensive surveys and inspections at both the load port and destinations world wide.
Mitigation of Loss / Disposal of Deteriorated Food Cargoes
The Department is expert at handling the disposal of deteriorated food cargoes, including the specification and supervision of tenders, salvage sale and on-shipment, as required.
Potatoes
CWA is regularly instructed to advise on problems associated with the handling and transport of new potato crops. We provide detailed advice on cargo care over all stages from pre-shipment, marine carriage and post-discharge storage.
Cocoa Beans
The practice has been engaged on a number of occasions to investigate cocoa cargo damage incidents. We were also commissioned to undertake market research on alternative supplies of cocoa beans and cocoa butter for newly privatised confectionery industry within the CIS.
Origin of Barnacles
We assisted in a demurrage case by performing a forensic analysis of barnacles, scraped from the ship's hull, to determine their likely origin.
Chinese Produce
We were involved in the spate of incidents concerning shipments of groundnuts from the Chinese Republic. In similar vein, we have advised on shipments of Chinese white beans and lentils.
Confined Explosion Following Fumigation
We investigated a highly unusual incident following a confined explosion in a cargo space containing wheat during laden passage. The probable cause of the incident was traced to the fumigant substance. Other incidents have involved the detection of excess chemical residues due to the fumigation process.
Crop Trials
CWA conducted detailed crop trials, both field and laboratory, to investigate the potential impact of particulate fall-out on commercial crops in the vicinity of a power station UK burning a high sulphur fossil fuel.
Expert Advice on Process Under-Performance of Food Processing Plant
CWA provided specialist consultancy services on behalf of the owners/operators of food processing plant in a dispute concerning under-performance of new plant, in the dairy produce sector including plant survey, evaluation of performance data, submission of proof of evidence.
Crop Analyses
CWA investigated the fluctuations in the annual yields of a high value crop and carried out an independent market study into the volatility of the profit and loss margins of high value crops.
Meat Products Market Analysis
CWA reviewed and analysed the historical expansion of the European market in value-added meat products.
