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Marine Shipping Debt Collection

Debt Collection Services for Marine Shipping

Account Adjustment Bureau, or AAB, is a fully licensed, bonded, and insured professional collection agency providing No Recovery No Fee shipping and marine debt collection. Our services cover all aspects of marine transport fee debt recovery. Marine receivables are a specialized area, and our collectors have extensive expertise and knowledge.

For almost 50 years, AAB has been collecting marine and intermodal freight debt. Our clients range from domestic barge companies to large International and multinational shipping companies.

As you will see, complete documentation of the shipping contract, including all terms and conditions, plays a significant role in successful maritime debt recovery.

Demurrage Fees

Demurrage refers to the fees a vessel owner charges to the shipper for using their vessel or ship over and above the contracted services. Demurrage fees are liquidated damages for breaking or delaying the laytime. These additional fees cause a loss to the merchant and increase their costs of delivery to their customers.  Neglecting or refusal to pay demurrage costs is the primary driver of unpaid marine shipping debt.

Other problem receivables may include fees levied by a shipping company to cover container damage, container cleaning, or not returning the container promptly.

Container Fee Debt Recovery

Overweight container fees make up the majority of marine bad debt. Up to 20% of containers are overweight, or the shipper misrepresented the proper weight. When a container is overweight, it can create trouble for the port and land transportation firms. Examples of fees and penalties include damages to terminal equipment, injuries to dockworkers, and issues on road and railways. Undeclared overweight container fees often form the majority of debt collection issues.

Debt Collection for Detention Fees

Detention fees result when delays occur loading or unloading containers. Sometimes these fees are referred to as late gate charges or wait time fees. The primary reasoning behind detention fees is to encourage shipping systems to move in a timely fashion. Usually, these fees are unanticipated, resulting in disputed debts.

Additional fees may include:

  • Rail Shifting – Rail Shifting fees become due when moving containers to railway cars which is less expensive than moving goods by truck.
  • Hazardous Cargo fees get billed when dealing with the additional safety handling costs of dangerous cargo such as special permits, escort vehicles, hazardous materials, etc.
  • Refrigeration fees result from perishable goods containers.

Marine Debt Collection Services

Marine and shipping debt collection can be confusing with all the different fees and terminology. Give us a call, and an AAB debt collection expert can provide consultation or schedule a confidential, no-obligation consultation.