Real-Life Marine Insurance Claim Scenarios and Lessons Learned

• Scenario 1: The ONE Apus – Massive Container Loss in a Storm

Lesson Learned

• Scenario 2: The Eternity C – War Zone Coverage Ignored 

Lesson Learned

• Scenario 3: Cargo Theft During Inland Transit

Lesson Learned

• What These Claim Scenarios Teach Us

• How to Protect Your Cargo Better 

Have you ever considered what could go wrong while your cargo crosses oceans, borders, or conflict zones? Marine insurance is not just paperwork; it protects businesses from significant losses. In this post, we look at real-life marine insurance claim scenarios that demonstrate the importance of having the right coverage and the lessons you should learn before shipping internationally.

🚢 Scenario 1: The ONE Apus – Massive Container Loss in a Storm 

In November 2020, the container vessel ONE Apus encountered severe weather in the Pacific Ocean. Over 1,800 containers were lost overboard, making it one of the largest cargo losses in recent history. 

·         Estimated Claim Value: Over $200 million 

·         What Went Wrong: Severe weather, inadequate lashing, and rough sea conditions 

·         Claim Type: Cargo loss, physical damage 

·         Source:  Wikipedia – ONE Apus Incident

✅Lesson Learned:

Always choose All Risk coverage that includes protection against natural disasters, and make sure cargo is packed and declared correctly. Weather is unpredictable, but it can be insured against.

⚠️Scenario 2: The Eternity C – War Zone Coverage Ignored 

In July 2025, the Eternity C, a Greek-operated bulk carrier, was attacked by Houthi militants in the Red Sea. The ship sank, resulting in the loss of cargo, the vessel, and lives. Unfortunately, it was sailing without war risk insurance. 

·         Estimated Loss: $15–20 million (uninsured) 

·         Claim Status: Denied – war risk excluded from the base policy 

·         Source: Financial Times Report 

✅Lesson Learned:

 If you ship through high-risk areas like the Red Sea or Suez Canal, you need to purchase additional war risk coverage. Standard marine insurance policies usually do not cover war, piracy, and strikes unless specifically added.

🧊 Scenario 3: Cargo Theft During Inland Transit 

An electronics importer in India received tampered cartons from a container yard in Mumbai. The cargo, shipped from Hong Kong, was insured under a marine cargo policy that included warehouse-to-warehouse coverage. 

·         Claim Filed: ₹14 lakhs 

·         Claim Settled: Fully paid under the inland transit clause 

✅Lesson Learned:

 Make sure your policy includes "door-to-door" or "warehouse-to-warehouse" coverage, especially when dealing with valuable or high-theft-risk goods.

📦 What These Claim Scenarios Teach Us

Scenario	Risk Type	Policy Gap	Key Lesson
ONE Apus	Weather damage	None, fully covered	Always include all-risk clauses
Eternity C	War attack	War risk not added	Add route-specific endorsements
Cargo Theft	Inland transit	Covered via W2W clause	Choose warehouse-to-warehouse cover

🛡️ How to Protect Your Cargo Better 

Here are steps to avoid claim denials: 

• ✅ Read your policy exclusions carefully 

• ✅ Include war, strike, riot, and civil commotion (SRCC) clauses if relevant

• ✅ Declare the full cargo value, including freight and duties 

• ✅ Use professional packing to prevent damage-related denials 

• ✅  Work with expert advisors.