FAQ
Here you will find answers to the most common questions we get
Based on the IMDG Code - Special Provisions 961, High and Heavy products such as excavators, forklifts or any other product with a combustion engine are NOT regarded as a hazardous cargo when loaded on RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) vessels.
Important notice: For carrying such product inside a container, it will still be considered hazardous cargo (UN 3166, Class 9) unless a number of conditions can be met. Some of which may be technically very difficult to comply with.
No. To issue a falsely dated Bill of Lading is fraud if the person issuing the Bill of Lading is aware that the date is incorrect.
Although 3 is the accepted industry standard, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean can issue as many originals as you require as long as the face of the bill of lading bears the number of originals issued. (i.e. if you require 4 originals, then the originals must state that 4 were issued).
No, this is not possible.
One shipment can have only 1 transport document. Therefore a Bill of Lading and a Sea Waybill cannot be used for the same shipment.
A freight forwarder or broker is an agent who acts on behalf of importers, exporters or other companies or persons to facilitate and organize the safe, efficient and cost-effective transportation of goods. Information typically reviewed by a freight forwarder includes the commercial invoice, shipper's export declaration, bill of lading and other documents required by the carrier or country of export, import, and/or transshipment. Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean will not accept any shipments from private persons directly. If you want us to ship your private vehicle, we require you to use a freight forwarder. Contact our local Customer Service department if you need assistance in finding a local broker or forwarder.
Carriers' liability is limited by maritime legislation and also by the terms and conditions of the transport document (Bill of Lading or Sea Way Bill). We therefore strongly recommend that you purchase a marine transport insurance policy before the commencement of the transport. For more information contact your freight forwarder or agent.
No, you do not need such a clause on the Bill of Lading. A Bill of Lading is in fact considered "clean" if there are no remarks in respect of the quantity or quality of the goods. This implies that Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean has received the goods in apparent good order and condition.
Carriers' liability is limited by maritime legislation and also by the terms and conditions of the transport document (Bill of Lading or Sea Way Bill). We therefore strongly recommend that you purchase a marine transport insurance policy before the commencement of the transport. For more information contact your freight forwarder or agent.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean will only ship products classified as hazardous cargo when these products are part of or accompanying a larger piece of equipment. If in doubt, please contact our local Customer Service department for further advice.
Please note: Based on the IMDG Code - Special Provisions 961, High and Heavy products such as excavators, forklifts etc... or any other product with a combustion engine are NOT regarded as a hazardous cargo when loaded on Ro/Ro (Roll-on/Roll-off) vessels.
You are able to track your shipment from the time the cargo is received at the terminal to the time it discharges and is line released in our Track & Trace application. You can track your shipment by booking number, bill of lading number or customer reference number.
Track your shipment here
Due to security concerns we have decided to remove the cargo id search functionality from our Track & Trace web page.
We will continue to provide our customers with the capability to track their cargo by searching based on either the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean booking number, Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean bill of lading number or the customer reference number.
Retrieved results will have all the same details as before, including cargo id information.
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean booking number and Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean bill of lading number will be provided to our customers during the shipping process and serve as the unique identification for the shipment.
In case you have any further questions, please reach out to our Customer Service team in your area.
If you do not have a cargo insurance a formal claim must be submitted to Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean. Please keep in mind that all claims and/or notices of loss or damage must be filed within the period prescribed by the bill of lading or sea way bill and/or applicable law.
Take the following steps:
1. Compile the following documents:
- The statement of claims in detail.
- General statement of the damage together with the amount being claimed, name of vessel and voyage number.
- Bill of lading or booking number, vessel name and voyage number
- Survey report with original photographs or other documents to show the extent of the damage (written in English if possible or free translations to English will be accepted) or any others including photos.
- Itemized repair invoice or itemized estimate of repair costs.
- Signed dock receipt from port of loading and signed delivery record from port of discharge.
- All correspondence with WW Ocean or other parties regarding the damage.
- Any other documentation that may assist our examination of your claim.
- Your address, telephone numbers and e-mail address
- Subrogation form required if claimant is not cargo owner under WW Ocean B/L.
- Any other documents to be requested, case by case.
2. Send the above mentioned documents by postal or courier mail directly to:
Wallenius Wilhelmsen
Attn. Global Claims Department – Karen Umaña
300 Interpace Parkway
Building A,4th Floor
Parsippany NJ 07054 USA
If you have any questions please contact the Global Claims Team
By email: Claims＠walwil.com
By phone: 1-201 505-4002 (USA)
If your shipment was covered by cargo insurance we advise you to submit this matter directly to your insurance company. They will settle the claim with you in accordance with the terms of your insurance policy.
Carrier´s liability, if applicable, will be determined in accordance with the terms and conditions of the relevant bill of lading and applicable law.
If you have any questions please contact the Global Claims Team via Email, or as per below.
Phone:
1-201 505-4002 (USA)
Mailing address:
Wallenius Wilhelmsen
Attn. Global Claims Department – Karen Umaña
300 Interpace Parkway
Building A,4th Floor
Parsippany NJ 07054 USA
You can find a vessel's arrival or departure date by accessing our Schedules tool.
You may search by port, voyage number or route.
Free storage days differ depending on the port. Refer to the Port Information for the direct terminal number or contact Customer Service.
A new set of originals can be obtained by furnishing a letter of indemnity stating that Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean is not to be held responsible if the first set is found and surrendered. The letter of indemnity must be signed by the shipper (or their legal representative) and counter-signed by a reputable bank.
Contact your local Customer Service representative for further information.
Arrange payment for any collect charges; for original bills of lading - ensure a properly endorsed original bill of lading is lodged at one of our offices; ensure customs clearance has been received and check for details about how to collect your cargo. Contact your local Customer Service representative for further information.
Refer to the Port Information for any additional services that may be available.
Free storage days differ depending on the port. Refer to the Port Information for the direct terminal number or contact Customer Service.
The transport of your cargo is governed by the terms and conditions of the Bill of Lading or Sea Way Bill issued for the shipment of your cargo.
For a complete presentation of the terms and conditions of the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean Bill of Lading or the Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean Sea Way Bill, please see "Bill of Lading terms"
Please be aware that both the maritime law and the terms and conditions of the Bill of Lading or Sea Way Bill limit Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean's liability for loss or damage to cargo. Therefore we strongly recommend our customers to purchase a marine transport insurance policy before commencement of the transport.
As a shipper you can prevent your cargo from being damaged by following a couple of simple rules of thumb. Make sure to provide the correct dimensions when booking your product with us. Incorrect dimensions may result in damages to your product when loading on our vessels. More information about cargo measurement can be found below.
In order for us to safely stow and carry your products on our vessels, they should be clearly marked with lifting points, lashing points, center of gravity, port of discharge, identification, dimensions etc. More details about cargo packaging can also be found below.
The Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean Bill of Lading serves 3 purposes:
* it is a transport contract (contract of carriage)
* a receipt of cargo
* a document of title (right to take delivery)
This feature is recognised by the Bill of Lading being consigned "to order of" which means that it is a negotiable document that transfers the title to the goods. This feature is commonly used when transactions are financed through letters of credit and/or goods are traded during the transit.
The title to the goods can be transferred by a simple endorsement on the document by the holder of the Bill of Lading and by handing over the Bill of Lading to the new owner, in much the same way as a personal check is endorsed.
The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a unique code used to identify transportation companies.
As a Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean customer you may need this code as part of the information for clearing your cargo through Customs in U.S.
WW Ocean's SCAC code is WLWH.
A Sea Waybill is a transport contract (contract of carriage) - the same as a Bill of Lading. A Sea Waybill, however, is not needed for cargo delivery and is only issued as a cargo receipt. It can either be issued in hard copy format or soft copy format. A Sea Waybill is not negotiable and cannot be assigned to a third party. Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean will deliver the cargo at destination to the person or company described as Consignee in the Sea Waybill.
The IMO number consists of the three letters "IMO", followed by a unique seven-digit number assigned to sea-going merchant ships. In some countries this number may be required to clear your cargo through customs.
Typically a properly endorsed original bill of lading (or sea waybill release), all collect charges paid in full, and customs clearance must be received.
Refer to the Port Information for the direct terminal number or contact Customer Service
A Sea Waybill is not a negotiable document. Therefore it is not necessary to surrender it at the destination to obtain cargo delivery. The current bill of lading system used by shipping lines sometimes results in delays in cargo delivery and other problems when the original bill of lading is lost or arrives late. The Sea Waybill system not only expedites cargo delivery but also simplifies the documentation procedure between shipper and consignee.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean´s SCAC code is "WLWH".
As a Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean customer you may need this code as part of the information for clearing your cargo through Customs in U.S.
The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a unique code used to identify transportation companies. It is typically two to four alphabetic letters long. It was developed by the National Motor Freight Traffic Association in the 1960s to help the transportation industry computerize data and records.
1. Inspect the condition of the cargo.
2. If you find damage to your cargo please record your observations on the receipt or dock tally before signing and returning it to the delivery clerk.
If you notice damage after the cargo has been delivered you must notify us in writing within 3 days of delivery of the goods.
Contact your local Customer Service representative for further information
- A preliminary notice of claim must be filed within three days of the date of delivery.
Wallenius Wilhelmsen by virtue of the language on its bill of lading has the right to deny any claim which is filed after this period. - The preliminary notice claim shall include the following details:
- Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean bill of lading number.
- Name of the vessel and voyage number.
- A brief description of the cargo and nature of damage
The master bill of lading or shipping instructions should be sent as early as possible. At the latest, it should be in Wallenius Wilhelmsen Ocean's possession 3 working days before a vessel sails.
A sea waybill is used in lieu of a bill of lading for straight consignments whenever a letter of credit or similar banking arrangement is not involved in the sale of goods. The sea waybill is suitable for regular shipments between related companies which do not require settlements through banks or third parties.
You can use a sea waybill when:
The recipient of the cargo is known, for example with shipments between related companies.
Cargo will not be traded/sold during transport.
Payment of goods is made under an open account or there is a high degree of trust between the importer and exporter and where a negotiable transport document is not required under a letter of credit.
You are required to use the bill of lading when:
The goods are being traded/sold in transit.
The letter of credit terms require that a negotiable document to be used.
The laws and regulations of a country demand the production of a paper bill of lading.
Each port may have different requirements and procedures for accepting cargo at origin as well as delivering cargo at destination. This depends on port authorities, customs authorities as well as local terminals. We recommend you contact the port directly to obtain the necessary information. To assist we have contact details on our "Port Information" pages.
Based on the IMDG Code - Special Provisions 961, regular passenger vehicles or any other product with a combustion engine are NOT regarded as a hazardous cargo when loaded on Ro/Ro(Roll-on/Roll-off) vessels.
Important notice: For carrying such products inside a container, it will still be considered hazardous cargo (UN 3166, Class 9) unless a number of conditions can be met. Some of which may be technically very difficult to comply with.