Yantian Express to offload containers in Halifax

   Hapag-Lloyd says its fire-damaged containership Yantian Express will likely soon depart from Freeport, Bahamas to discharge cargo in Halifax.
   The ship caught fire on Jan. 3 causing extensive damage. Hapag-Lloyd declared general average and the ship proceeded to Freeport, where it has been berthed since Feb. 4, undergoing repairs.
    “Dependent on final technical approval of vessel class and refitting of hatch covers, MV Yantian Express is now likely to depart from Freeport, Bahamas during the first half of May 2019 with the remaining cargo onboard,” said Hapag-Lloyd. “The vessel shall then proceed to Halifax, Nova Scotia for delivery of remaining onboard cargoes. Exact date will be confirmed once forward schedule and terminal arrangements have been finally concluded.”
   A spokesman added on Friday the ship is  now tentatively scheduled to depart from Freeport, Bahamas on May 15  with an ETA to Halifax, Nova Scotia on May 19.
   The company has said  “all containers on the vessel will be discharged at Halifax, but only secured cargo can be released to customers. Hapag-Lloyd will arrange for transportation to final destination, once security has been provided.”

   The Yantian Express is one of the ships in Hapag-Lloyd’s EC5 service from Asia to the  East Coast of North America. Ships in that rotation would normally call at the U.S. ports of New York, Savannah, Jacksonville and Norfolk after departing Halifax.
  Ocean Network Express, Hapag-Lloyd’s partner in THE Alliance along with Yang Ming, said in an advisory last week that in spite of a deadline for submitting general average and salvage security having expired, security “has still not been posted for about one-third of containers concerned.”
    The Yantian Express had 3,785 containers on board the 7,510-TEU containership at the time of the incident. Hapag-Lloyd said 320 containers were a total loss. A website maintained the general average adjuster Richard Hogg Lindley that is doing work for Hapag Lloyd said a tally of “loaded containers for which general average and salvage security has been provided.” It listed 2,351 containers as of Tuesday.
   ONE, in a Friday letter to customers, said, “In order to assist progress of vessel operational proceedings and salvage company approval, we again encourage all cargo interests to immediately provide the requested general average and salvage security in order to allow the containers to be delivered.”