On August 20, Yang Ming Marine Transport Corporation issued a notice stating that on August 9, an explosion occurred in a container on the deck of the Yang Ming vessel “YM Mobility” at Phase III of Ningbo Port. The local port authorities conducted the necessary firefighting and rescue operations, and the fire has now been extinguished.

In order to protect the collective interests of the vessel and all its cargo, Yang Ming Marine Transport has declared the incident as a General Average, in accordance with relevant regulations

Yang Ming has appointed Richards Hogg Lindley to receive the necessary guarantees from the parties concerned with the cargo.

The notice states that in order to facilitate the release of customers’ cargo and avoid unnecessary delays, please contact the adjuster and provide the required guarantees and corresponding documents. Consider this notice as an urgent matter to prevent further delays: cargo cannot be released until the guarantees are submitted.

Meanwhile, with the approval of the port authorities and under the condition of ensuring the safety of the vessel and the site, Yang Ming Marine Transport has begun planning for the unloading and transshipment of the cargo on board.

General Average is a maritime principle where, when a ship and its cargo are owned by one or more parties, losses incurred to protect the safety of all are shared by the cargo owners. This principle applies when sacrifices or expenses are made to save the ship and cargo, with the resulting losses being distributed among all cargo owners.

On August 12, regarding the explosion incident involving the “Dong Ming” vessel at Ningbo Port, Yang Ming Marine Transport has stated that investigations into the cause and responsibility of the incident are ongoing. The estimated loss is projected to range between $1.5 million and $9.5 million, depending on the outcome of the accident’s handling.

Yang Ming Marine Transport has announced that this incident constitutes General Average. This means that all cargo owners on the “Dong Ming” vessel will share the losses and liabilities resulting from the incident. Specifically, cargo owners will need to provide a General Average guarantee before their cargo can be released.

According to the vessel tracking data from Yunquna, the “Dong Ming” vessel is currently still docked at Ningbo Port, awaiting further processing.
Before the accident at Ningbo Port, the vessel had previously called at Shanghai Port and was involved in joint service operations with several shipping companies. Cargo owners and freight forwarders who recently had cargo loaded on this vessel should maintain close communication with clients, shipping companies, and other parties, and stay updated on the latest developments and follow-up actions related to the incident.