- Published 2026.11.10 02:54
Ship bound for Brazil from India catches fire, waiting off South Africa
Cargo owners asked to provide general average and salvage security to share costs
HMM has officially declared general average for the HMM Platinum, a container ship that caught fire while en route from India to Brazil. Cargo owners with thousands of containers on board now face additional cost sharing and delays in cargo delivery.
On Nov. 10, HMM declared general average to handle the fire on the HMM Platinum and issued official documents requiring cargo owners, including importers, to provide financial security for cargo release. According to a casualty notice from marine insurance claims adjuster W.E. Cox Claims Group, Korhi Average Adjusters has been appointed as the adjuster.
The HMM Platinum, a 5,593 TEU (one TEU equals one 20-foot container) container ship, departed from Kattupalli Port in India on Sept. 27 and was heading to Santos Port in Brazil when a fire broke out in early October near Madagascar. At the time, the vessel was carrying about 2,300 containers, including temperature-sensitive cargo, and all 24 crew members were safe.
The carrier immediately deployed SMIT, a global maritime salvage company, to fight the fire. The salvage contract with SMIT was signed under Lloyd's Open Form (LOF), which calculates compensation based on the value of the salvaged property if the salvage is successful.
The fire is now in its final stages, with embers being extinguished, but the vessel has not yet entered a port of refuge. Durban Port in South Africa was initially considered as a refuge, but due to adverse weather and port conditions, the ship is now waiting at sea for approval from Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) to enter the Port of Ngqura.
As the vessel has been waiting at sea for nearly a month, the burden on cargo owners is growing. General average, declared by HMM, is a maritime law principle under which shipowners and cargo owners proportionally share losses or expenses intentionally incurred to save the ship and cargo.
Accordingly, cargo owners, including importers with cargo on the vessel, must provide both salvage security and general average security before taking delivery of their cargo at the destination or arranging transshipment. Cargo owners without insurance are required to deposit a cash amount.
With the delay in entering a port of refuge, it is also taking time to assess the exact extent of damage. Some cargo may be discharged in South Africa before the voyage resumes. Once the vessel berths, the carrier will conduct cargo damage surveys, discharge cargo, and arrange alternative vessels as follow-up procedures.
※ This article is an AI translation of the Korean original published by Korea Credit News; it was checked by automated quality guards and published by the English edition desk.
