Navigating Marine Risks With Confidence: Global Response to Three Converging Challenges

By: Anthony Smith

With the rapid expansion of e-commerce and global supply chains, the cargo and marine insurance landscape is under increasing pressure from three key challenges: the rise in cargo theft, regulatory volatility, and the complexity of cross-national claims.

At W K Webster, we're leveraging more than 160 years of marine and transit claims experience to support captives, corporates, and insurers to reshape how they manage this risk.

Addressing Increases in Cargo Theft and Regulatory Volatility

In recent years, incidents of cargo theft have been on the rise. While this issue has consistently presented risks to captives, theft during inland transit has escalated notably. Traditionally, high-value goods were more frequently affected, but now evolving black market trends have led to lower-value products targeted more frequently than previously.

Alongside theft, regulatory environments are becoming increasingly unpredictable. Shifting global trade policies, customs practices, and compliance requirements introduce fresh risks for companies operating across borders. Failure to match pace with this regulatory volatility can result in unexpected costs, shipment delays, and exposure to fines or penalties. Navigating these complexities demands not only agility but also a deep understanding of regional and international frameworks.

Our team at W K Webster is uniquely positioned to provide expertise in any port of the world and recently resolved a complex international claim for a captive client involving a shipment of beverages across Europe. Unfortunately, organised fraudsters targeted this shipment by impersonating the legitimate haulage company, going so far as to replicate real employee names and credentials. The result was a significant loss totalling 400,000 EUR plus associated duties.

Although both the actual haulier and a rail terminal denied responsibility, we initiated legal proceedings as a strategic measure to facilitate negotiation. This combination of legal acumen, negotiation skills, and international presence, ultimately achieved a positive resolution with the haulier agreeing to cover the full loss, excluding non-recoverable duties under Dutch law.

How Global Infrastructure and Expertise Can Address Emerging Challenges

As global distribution networks become more intricate, the process of managing and resolving claims grows ever more challenging. Insurers or corporates that operate in multiple countries must contend with a patchwork of legal systems, languages, and standards of evidence.

With increasing global trade broadening exposure to fraud theft and regulatory volatility, the solution becomes clear: Partner with experts who possess both the global reach and the specialist knowledge required to protect their clients' interests, to keep growth on course.

Our team provides comprehensive support for marine and transit claims from offices strategically located in London, New York, Singapore, and Rotterdam, complemented by our expansive agency network. With 24/7 service, local language proficiency, cultural awareness, and extensive expertise in relevant legislation, we're equipped to support insurers, captives, or corporates facing these challenges.

To learn more about how W K Webster can support your organisation to navigate marine risks with confidence, get in touch with our team.