Writ issued to free ship-bound trucks
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by Miles Brignall
• A haulier has gone to the High Court for a writ to free his two trucks and drivers from the ferry Al Hussein in Sheerness docks.
This follows a salvage claim to the Fen-ylink ferry, which ran aground during the crossing from Holland last Thursday (13 October) and has now been impounded.
Under maritime law, a claim for salvage includes all goods in transit. Hauliers might have to put up a bond to cover the cost of the claim if they wish to release trucks on board but the ferry companies usually put up the money, as they insure against it. In the case of the Al Hussein, hauliers faced two bands as the owners declared "general interest". Once this has been declared, hauliers, or their insurers, have to put up a bond of the percentage that the value of their goods represents to the overall claim to cover possible damage.
Cohn Young, managing director of Cranleigh Freight Services was granted the writ at 20:45hrs on Monday night and was down at the docks to serve it personally to the master of the ship. Eight WV drivers and 32 loads were locked on the Egyptian. ownedferry for four days. The problems started when the overnight ferry from Vlissingen ran aground outside the harbour. A Belgian tug failed to pull it free but eventually the ferry managed to refloat and made the port. After docking, the Admiralty Marshal impounded the ship and all cargo, following the salvage claim.
Lawyers worked over the weekend to resolve the dispute and a solution seemed in sight when Ferrylink put up .fl()0,000 bond to ensure the release of cargo. The Egyptian captain, fearing that the ferry had been damaged, declared a "general interest" and effectively dashed all hopes of an early solution.