

It’s no fun, and the claims process is everything but easy. We’re so sorry to hear if you are experiencing the stress of dealing with cargo damage. What to do With Cargo Damaged by Inherent Vice? It is caused by the nature of the product itself, and is due to internal factors and not external factors. The bottom line is – inherent vice is not caused by anyone. Also, if compounds separate or go bad during transit (essentially expiring), that would also be damage by inherent vice. This would be the case with batteries going bad during a shipment. However, if a watermelon becomes “damaged” as a result of it deteriorating due to the nature of the product (that’s, well… what happens to fruits and veggies), then that would be damage caused by inherent vice.Ī more common example would be something like cargo rusting due to the metal, composition, or other compounds in a shipment. If a carrier drops a container and busts a ton of watermelons into bits, that is their fault. It is simply due to the nature of the product itself.Ī very simple example for the sake of illustration would be food, let’s say – fruits and veggies. Thus, damage caused to cargo via inherent vice is not due to a carrier’s mismanagement or mishandling of cargo.

In other words, it’s not damage that occurs as a result of external influences and factors, but rather internal ones. Inherent vice is any cargo damage that occurs as a result of the nature of a product.

That’s why it’s so important to make sure your cargo is properly insured (by the way, it’s pretty cheap to do.)Īlright, now that you understand that, let’s talk about inherent vice: Inherent Vice Definition Did you know that your cargo is actually only insured for up to $500 per container? Many international shippers think that their cargo is “insured” and safe, however, if your cargo is damaged or a container goes overboard, COGSA law specifies that the carrier will only owe you up to $500 per shipping unit, which almost all ocean carriers will define as a container. What is Inherent Vice of Cargo?īefore we elaborate on inherent vice, what it is, and how it affects you, it’s important to just talk about what happens when cargo is damaged. When it comes to cargo, there are unfortunately several reasons that a shipment may be damaged while in transit.
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There’s so many moving parts and a lot at stake with any international shipping transaction, so making sure you understand what can go wrong, why it can go wrong, and how to deal with it is paramount for streamlining your shipping process and protecting your company’s bottom line. Generally speaking, if something goes badly, it’s not cheap. Bad news with anything related to international cargo is always a huge bummer.
