What Crew Members Say About Maersk-Saltoro

On March 11, authorities conducted the destruction of the initial container of fruit imported via the vessel 'Maersk Saltoro', a process that lasted around two hours. Prior to this, on March 8, Chinese customs successfully completed their initial inspection of the fruit, which was followed by additional private inspections to ensure compliance. The destruction procedure required the removal of wooden pallets used in customs, after which 20 tons of cherries were loaded onto a hopper truck destined for the approved destruction site. Efforts are ongoing to identify more facilities to manage the disposal of unwanted fruit. The first destruction phase featured these private inspections due to the substantial volume of fruit being handled. Under the watchful eyes of Chinese customs personnel, the removal of the fruit was executed in a location sanctioned by customs authorities. Following the destruction, the exporter will receive an official customs inspection document alongside a certificate indicating the rejection of the goods. Customs is actively refining the destruction process and protocols, marking this incident as a preliminary trial for future operations.

The unloading and inspection process for Chilean cherries aboard the Maersk Saltoro has reached a successful conclusion. Claudia Soler, executive director of the Chilean Cherry Committee, has actively communicated with local producers and exporters through their office in China since the ship's arrival. Daily updates have been shared with industry associates, ensuring everyone is informed and coordinated to facilitate timely decision-making. Upon the vessel's arrival in Nansha, a delegation including the general manager of Frutas de Chile and representatives from the Agriculture and Livestock Service engaged in crucial discussions with Chinese authorities. Their goal was to ensure the smooth unloading and inspection of over 1,300 containers, predominantly filled with cherries. The Chinese officials demonstrated a commitment to facilitating the process in adherence to national standards for fruit commercialization. However, about 10% of the inspected containers did not meet the requisite marketing criteria. The Chilean Cherry Committee has been vigilant, monitoring the situation to protect their partners and the reputation of the cherry category in the marketplace. The total cargo is valued at upwards of $130 million, primarily consisting of cherries, alongside other products like blueberries, avocados, raisins, and more, destined for other Asian regions such as Vietnam and Thailand. As inspections continue, any containers failing to meet quality and condition standards will be destroyed as a matter of policy. By February 25, 800 containers had been successfully unloaded, and the entire unloading operation was finalized by February 26, allowing the Maersk Saltoro to set sail for Hong Kong thereafter.

On February 17, the Maersk vessel 'Saltoro' finally reached Nansha Port, a staggering 28 days later than its planned schedule, following a breakdown in the Pacific Ocean. The ship was transporting 1,353 containers filled with cherries from southern Chile, intended for the Chinese New Year festivities. Although the power supply to the containers was consistently maintained and the cold chain was not interrupted, the condition of the cherries has raised significant alarms. Antonio Walker, president of the National Association of Agriculture (SNA), conducted an inspection aboard the vessel and reported that the quality of the fruit was severely compromised, raising concerns that Chinese authorities might reject the entire shipment. In light of the situation, Maersk and Chinese Customs are engaged in discussions over the fate of the cargo. Given the large volume of cherries, the evaluation of their quality and condition could extend over several days. As of February 18, none of the containers from the vessel have been cleared for release; only a little over 100 containers have been offloaded, with 12 currently undergoing inspection and further evaluation. Maersk has proposed to unload the remaining 1,200+ containers at Nansha while allowing their legal teams, importers, and China Customs to handle the ensuing negotiations. However, China Customs has expressed hesitance to accept these containers due to ongoing food safety concerns.