A concerning trend

Ton Schox, of Cunningham Lindsey, reviews the trends for surveyors operating in the marine cargo field and the potential implications

Surveyors appointed on behalf of cargo underwriters and P&I clubs have a longstanding tradition of working alongside each other to agree the extent of damage when handling major and complex claims in the marine market. This co-operative way of working ensured a mutually agreeable outcome of the claim for all the parties involved. However, since the global economic crisis in 2008 this tradition has been breaking down and a concerning trend is emerging in which a more combative approach is developing.