On January 13, the “Maersk Saltoro” experienced a main engine failure in the Pacific Ocean, 17 days into its 24-day journey as part of the shipping line’s “Cherry Express” service. This service, operated during the peak cherry export season from November to February, transports highly perishable cherries from Chile to Asia, mainly China, ensuring fast delivery.
The vessel resumed its journey on February 4 after repairs were completed and is now expected to arrive at Nansha Port in Guangzhou on February 17, depending on weather conditions, according to Maersk.
The vessel, carrying 1,353 containers of cherries—or 24,000 tons—was originally scheduled to arrive in time for Chinese New Year on January 29.
About the vessel
The “Maersk Saltoro” is owned by Argosy, a company incorporated in Singapore, and sails under the Singaporean flag. It is managed by Synergy Marine, the same company that oversaw the “MV Dali” when it crashed into the Baltimore Bridge.
The “Maersk Saltoro” is a sister ship of the “MV Dali,” meaning they share the same design. Both were built by South Korean company Hyundai in 2015 and measure 300 meters in length and 48 meters in beam.
“We cannot speculate at this time whether there are common factors between this incident and that of the MV Dali,” a spokesperson for shipping giant Maersk told The Straits Times on February 11.
Synergy Marine’s head of communications, Vishal Srivastava, stated that the “Maersk Saltoro” undergoes regular maintenance, inspections, and compliance checks. He noted that the vessel passed Chilean inspections without deficiencies before departure and has a strong Port State Control (PSC) record.
Insurance
The incident could also set costly insurance precedents for high-value perishable goods shipments on container vessels, according to the Journal of Commerce (JOC) of S&P Global.
Cargo insurance broker Fester & Co told JOC that the perishable cargo is covered by insurance, estimating the total value of the cherries on board at approximately $60 million.
Meanwhile, Maersk confirmed that the vessel’s temporary repairs have been successfully completed. “In the meantime, the vessel owners have confirmed that all refrigerated containers on board are plugged into power,” a spokesperson stated.
It remains unclear whether these refrigerated containers were powered between January 13 and February 4, when the engine experienced issues.
