Marine insurance in spotlight after rough week at sea. The mis-declaration of cargo to avoid stiff insurance and shipping costs continues to be an issue in the freight industry, says Mike Brews, director of Horizon Underwriting Managers. Speaking to Freight News in the same week that a roll-on roll-off (roro) vessel was first completely gutted by a suspected lithium-ion fire before a dangerous cargo explosion caused a box ship blaze off the coast of India, he emphasised the need for insurance integrity. Brews, who also heads the Cargo Committee at the International Union of Marine Insurance (IUMI), said: “The accurate declaration of cargo is paramount to all of us. “If things are managed and looked after properly, then we can prevent a lot of these losses from occurring.” He said this is especially the case when lithium-ion batteries get too hot and “become a source of ignition” when they are located too close a vessel’s machine room, possibly because of mis-declaration. However, Brews also cautioned against the fear mongering attached to on-board lithium-ion fires, especially in the wake of the Morning Midas, the roro that was destroyed off the Alaskan coast earlier this week. Read more : freightnews.co.za