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For parties affected by the non-arrival of the Wehr Trave

Through our legal counsel, Hunt & Hunt Lawyers, we have received notice from the solicitors for the Wehr Trave regarding the planned discharge of cargo booked with GSS.
 
On Friday we were informed of the owner's plan to sail the vessel to Sydney and discharge all cargo there – please click HERE for the original letter.  The estimated rates were USD1,575 per 20ft and USD3,150 per 40ft. To accept the offer cargo owners needed to sign the attached letter and send it to the solicitors for the owners.
 
Available HERE is a new letter received this morning (Saturday 3 December 2016) from the solicitors for the vessel owners. 
 
The essence of the new letter is:

1. The owners intend to discharge the cargo in Sydney

2. The current plan is to commence proceeding to Sydney on 6 December 2016

3. All cargo owners are requested to sign the original letter and send it, together with their bill of lading, to the solicitors for the owners by midday today London time (11pm AEDST time today).

4. If the letter is qualified in any way it will not be accepted – that is, you cannot add your own terms and conditions

5. The vessel will not be calling into Hong Kong

6. Exact costs will be confirmed as soon as possible

 
Clearly the proposed rates are very high.  It is also unclear if it includes Australian discharge fees.  Hunt & Hunt Lawyers have contacted the solicitors for the owners who were seeking instructions on this issue.
 
Put simply, if you have a small number of containers on the vessel, the offer is likely to be an efficient way of getting the containers to Australia taking into account costs of negotiating an alternative arrangement, discharging the cargo elsewhere and then shipping to Australia. 

If you have a large number of containers on the vessel the inflated freight costs may make discharge in Asia more attractive (and you arrange your own freight to Australia).  However, there can be no guarantee as to what the owners will agree and the timeframe and costs for discharge.
 
If you wish to accept the offer please complete the original attached letter and email it directly to Gaby Sweidan
 
Travis Brooks-Garrett - FTA