One carton is missing and two boxes have arrived crushed. Start with a record of what you received, when it arrived and how the discrepancy relates to the shipment documents. Notify the confirmed carrier or booking contact promptly, then ask for the procedure that applies to this shipment.
Keep the first notification separate from the completed claim file. You may still be checking the contents or arranging an assessment when the transport contact needs to know that an exception has occurred.
Record the condition at receipt
Count the outer cartons and match their labels to the delivery paperwork. Describe visible damage precisely. Write which carton is affected and whether the contents have been examined. If the carrier provides a delivery record, ask how the observed discrepancy should be recorded and obtain a copy.
Photograph the labels and affected packaging, then the contents when they can be examined safely. Keep original files with their timestamps. Connect close-up pictures to a wider view or carton reference so someone reviewing them can identify the shipment.
Before discarding packaging, repairing goods or returning them, ask the responsible contact what needs to remain available for inspection. Record any handling instructions and who gave them.
Reconcile quantities before estimating the loss
A crushed box and damaged contents are different observations. Count the affected goods when the agreed checking process allows it. Keep unchecked contents marked as unchecked.
This fictional example shows a receiving note. It is an organisational aid, not a customer shipment or a legal form.
| Point | Illustrative record |
|---|---|
| Expected arrival | Packing list: 12 cartons |
| Physical arrival | 11 cartons counted, including two with visible crushing |
| Missing reference | One listed carton not located at receipt |
| Contents | Checking pending; product damage not yet quantified |
| Evidence | Labelled photographs and delivery record retained |
| Next action | Confirm missing carton status and inspection instructions |
If the missing carton arrives later, add its arrival time and condition. Preserve the original receiving note so the sequence remains understandable.
Request the applicable claim checklist
Maersk's Cargo Insurance page provides an example for its own insurance product: first notify the loss, then gather documents for assessment. Its checklist includes purchase and packing records, transport documents, delivery evidence and photographs. The required documents can vary by claim.
Ask your own carrier, booking party or insurer which documents it requires and who is authorised to submit them. Confirm the submission channel and obtain the applicable notification and claim deadlines from the relevant terms. Record when each period starts, its due date and time zone, and who is responsible for acting.
For its own ocean services, Wallenius Wilhelmsen's cargo-damage FAQ directs customers to the bill of lading or sea waybill and applicable law for claim periods. A deadline from another carrier or service is unsuitable as a shortcut for your shipment.
Build an itemised evidence file
Link each claimed item to its supplier invoice, packing entry and affected carton. State the quantity and currency. Keep estimates separate from paid repair or replacement invoices, and ask the claim handler which cost categories it accepts.
Retain correspondence and the versions already submitted. Give the file a clear current status, such as notification sent, documents requested, assessment pending or settlement received. An acknowledgement confirms receipt of a message; check the actual decision before treating the claim as resolved.
For planning a future shipment, use the shipment enquiry brief with the goods and destination. Ask which receiving records, transport scope and exception contacts need to be agreed before dispatch. For an existing loss or damage, follow the confirmed contact and instructions attached to that shipment.