The multi-million dollar blow to Chilean cherry exporters

A logistical and commercial disaster has struck when a shipment of 25,000 tons of Chilean cherries on the Maersk Saltoro ship suffered an engine failure, resulting in a 52-day delay that led to the cargo's deterioration. The entire cargo was ordered destroyed, incurring losses of US$120 million, with Maersk seeking to limit its liability to US$16.4 million. This incident has severely shaken the confidence of producers and exporters in maritime transport and marks the start of a complex legal battle. Meanwhile, the cherry industry is already struggling with estimated losses of US$1.6 billion due to oversupply and logistical issues, making this incident even more challenging.

(Agraria.pe) The case of the shipment of Chilean cherries from the Maersk Saltoro ship is already a point of study and controversy, not only logistically, but also commercially and legally on several fronts, and is drawing the attention of the agricultural export world for its implications and lessons learned. Jaime Cañón, entrepreneur, analyst, and consultant (mascontainer.com), simplified this story by highlighting the key aspects to consider: The Maersk Saltoro ship set sail from San Antonio with 1,352 containers (approximately 25,000 tons of cherries) for the Chinese New Year. For Chilean exporters, this voyage represented a key opportunity in the season. However, what was supposed to be a routine transfer ended up becoming a logistical and commercial disaster: On January 13, the vessel suffered an engine failure and was stranded on the high seas. What was supposed to be an efficient journey of a few weeks turned into a desperate wait. Finally, after 52 days of delay, the ...