Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) for Claims

What This Covers

This process applies to claims arising from our ocean and air shipping services between China and Africa, including:

• Physical damage: crushing, water damage, contamination, or breakage.
• Loss: complete disappearance of cargo, or significant partial loss.
• Concealed damage: damage discovered after delivery during container unstuffing, with intact packaging.
• Delay: failure to deliver within contracted or reasonable timeframes.
• Financial loss: additional costs you incur due to a service failure.
• Documentation errors: losses resulting from incorrect or missing paperwork.

Ocean freight claims are handled under the Hague-Visby Rules or applicable conventions; air freight claims fall under the Warsaw Convention / Montreal Convention framework. As an intermediary NVOCC, we may be jointly responsible with ocean carriers for loss or damage during carriage, subject to our own rights of indemnity against the primary carrier.

Carrier Liability vs. Cargo Insurance: Statutory carrier liability under Hague-Visby is strictly capped at default limits (e.g., 2 SDR per kilogram or 666.67 SDR per package). Because statutory limits cover only a fraction of commercial cargo value, we strongly recommend purchasing Full Marine Cargo Insurance (Clause A / All Risks) to ensure complete financial protection.

Step 1: Reporting Your Claim

The moment you notice damage, loss, or a delay, log in to your myCall portal to initiate a claim. Here is what happens next:

• Acknowledgment within 4 business hours: we confirm receipt of your notification and issue an official Claim Reference Number (e.g., BK-SHG-NBO-10492) for all future correspondence — regardless of how complete your initial information is.
• Initial information we'll ask for: your booking reference, Bill of Lading / Air Waybill number, date and location where the issue was discovered, a brief description of the incident, and initial photos.
• Internal escalation: for claims we estimate above $1,000, our Claims Manager is notified within 24 hours so the case gets senior attention from the start.

Critical Deadlines by Claim Type

Different claim types carry different statutory and contractual deadlines. Missing one can affect your ability to recover, so this table is worth bookmarking:

Step 2: Documentation You'll Need

To process your claim through our Document Vault, prepare the following items:

• Signed Claim Notification Form (generated automatically via portal)
• Copy of the original bill of lading or air waybill
• Commercial invoice showing the value of goods
• Packing list identifying specific cartons or items lost or damaged
• Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR) showing seal condition and container status at port gate-out
• Photographs or video showing container seal, damaged cargo, and packaging
• Independent Survey Report or Joint Cargo Inspection Report (mandatory for claims exceeding $1,000)

Step 3: How We Investigate

Once your claim is logged, our investigation moves through three phases:

• Evidence collection (Days 1–3): we gather operational records, handling logs from origin to destination, statements from staff and subcontractors, and CCTV footage where available.
• Technical assessment (Days 4–10): we check whether packaging met IATA/IMO standards, whether cargo was properly secured and stowed, whether temperature or humidity controls were maintained for sensitive cargo, and whether there's a history of prior damage on the same container or equipment.
• Liability analysis (Days 11–15): we apply the terms of your bill of lading or waybill, reference the relevant international convention, consider force majeure provisions, and assess whether contributory factors on the shipper or consignee side played a role.

Throughout this process, you're expected to take reasonable steps to prevent further damage — separating affected goods, arranging protective measures, and preventing deterioration. This isn't about shifting blame; failing to mitigate can reduce your eventual compensation, so it's in your interest as much as ours.

Step 4: How Compensation Is Calculated

• Total loss: based on actual cash value at destination, minus salvage value, plus incidental costs — excluding consequential damages unless specifically declared in advance.
• Partial loss: based on repair estimates, diminution in value, and reconditioning costs.
• Specialized cargo: perishables are valued on condition at delivery; dangerous goods claims also involve a regulatory compliance check.

Where no value was declared in advance, compensation follows international standard limits — for example, a per-kilogram limit for air cargo, or package limitations under ocean freight conventions. Declaring cargo value upfront is the way to avoid being capped at these default limits.

Step 5: Settlement

Depending on the claim's value and complexity, settlement can take a few different forms:

Larger or more complex claims go through additional internal review — claims above $5,000 require Head of Operations sign-off, and anything over $20,000 goes to our Chief Operating Officer. Any claim where liability is genuinely contested is routed to our Legal Department regardless of value.

How We Prevent Claims in the First Place

• Root cause analysis: for claims over $2,000, we identify direct and systemic causes and implement corrective action, with monthly analysis reports feeding back into our operations.
• Packaging compliance: we conduct pre-shipment audits, educate suppliers on IATA/IMO packaging standards, and reserve the right to reject cargo with inadequate packaging before it ever ships.
• Client education: we provide guidance on documentation requirements, liability limitations, and cargo insurance options — ask your account manager if you'd like a walkthrough before your next shipment.

How to File a Cargo Claim in Your Portal

Initiating a cargo claim with CALL is completed digitally within your client account. Offline paper forms are no longer required. To open a claim:

• 1. Log In & Open Booking: Log in to your secure myCall account, navigate to My Shipments, and click on the specific Booking Details page for the affected cargo.
• 2. Click "FILE CARGO CLAIM": Located in the top-right header of your Booking Details screen, click the red FILE CARGO CLAIM button to launch the digital claims wizard.
• 3. Upload Evidence Vault: Attach your Commercial Invoice, Packing List, Photos/Video, and Equipment Interchange Receipt (EIR) or Joint Survey Report.
• 4. Track Case Progress: Your submission automatically generates an urgent ticket routed to our Legal & Claims Division for preliminary review within 12 to 24 hours.