Scheduling oversight costs of $135,000 to liner agent

A routine ship on a special call, outside the normal liner schedule, turned into a costly oversight for a liner agent, resulting in unexpected expenses of US$135,000, ultimately reimbursed by the International Transport Intermediaries Club (ITIC).

The incident began when a liner agent received advance notice of an inbound vessel scheduled to make a special call outside the regular service pattern.

The designated employee quickly sprang into action, arranging pilotage and initiating customs clearance in accordance with the initial arrival plan before heading off on annual leave. All relevant schedules and updates, including those for the special call, were handed over to the covering team.

However, after the employee’s departure, the line informed the agent of a three-day delay in the ship’s arrival at its first discharge port.

The line and the ship’s master ensured the agent was kept updated, and customs documents were finalised well in advance.

While the covering team successfully rescheduled pilotage for the first port, they inadvertently failed to do so for the second port of call.

The lapse became apparent only when the ship arrived at the second port’s limits, and no pilots were available.

The urgent rush to finalise pilotage services resulted in an extra US$135,000 in expenses and late fees. The line requested reimbursement, placing the blame for the mistake on the agent.

Upon notification, the agent immediately contacted ITIC and provided full documentation, including confirmation of their efforts to adjust the schedule for the first port. However, they acknowledged the critical omission for the second. As there was no defence, ITIC honoured the claim and reimbursed the full amount.

“A mistake like this highlights the need for clear internal communication and robust handover procedures, especially when schedules change and team members are away,” said Mark Brattman, claims director at ITIC.

“Implementing thorough checklist systems and regular schedule reviews can go a long way in preventing these costly oversights. Our goal is to help members learn from such incidents and strengthen their operational processes.”