Solution
Cargo claims recovery for terminals and forwarders
Last reviewed:
Outturn's Claims Recovery worker finds weight and quality losses that need a claim, protest or commercial act, and tells the right person while the deadline is still open. The evidence pack is already assembled when the case arrives.
The problem in one sentence
The weighbridge, the waybill, the draft survey and the bill of lading disagree; the difference is only worth money if someone notices it within the window the contract or convention allows.
What the worker checks
| Check | What it compares | Deadline it watches |
|---|---|---|
| RAIL-04 | Wagon net weight vs waybill | — |
| RAIL-05 | Shortage found vs commercial act drawn up | Commercial-act window |
| GATE-12 | Weight shortage on a truck delivery | CMR Art. 30: seven days for loss that is not apparent |
| QTY-02 | Shore scale vs draft survey vs bill of lading | — |
| VES-11 | Protest complete before the vessel sails | Sailing time |
| WGH-08 | Road net weight vs CMR or eFTI declared weight | — |
| LAB-03 | Weight change explained by moisture | — |
| STK-01 | Stock roll-forward vs survey | — |
Example finding
Example — synthetic data, invented for illustration. Not a customer result.
Truck delivery against CMR LT-000317: CMR net 24.80 t, terminal weighbridge net 24.31 t. Difference 0.49 t (1.98 %), above the 0.5 % tolerance configured for this demo. WGH-08 raises a case; GATE-12 computes the CMR Article 30 window and shows the last day for a reservation. The evidence pack contains the ticket, the CMR scan and the tolerance rule.
Data you need
- Weighbridge tickets; waybills or CMRs (files, or photos captured with OCR and confirmed by a person).
- For bulk vessels: draft survey and bill-of-lading quantities (QTY-02 and VES-11 need the final draft survey document).
- Your weighing tolerance and any contract allowance. For context, Britannia P&I notes that weighbridge accuracy typically ranges from 0.5 % to 1.0 % depending on the port; your own verified figure is better.
How fast you can start
Weighbridge tickets plus CMR or waybill data are enough for WGH-08 and RAIL-04 on the first run in the free trial. Configure your tolerance first so differences are judged against your numbers.
Honest limits
- Outturn does not file claims or protests; it prepares evidence and drafts.
- GATE-12 starts from a weight shortage; delay and damage events are not yet a trigger.
- Vessel checks (QTY-02, VES-11) need the final draft survey document.
- A weight difference is a review item, not proof of loss: moisture, dust and instrument accuracy explain part of many differences.
Related
- Guide: reconciling weighbridge, gate and invoice data
- Missing Document: the document a claim fails on.
- Glossary: outturn report, CMR, commercial act, draft survey
See it on your own statements
Send up to 3 months of carrier statements and your wagon records: a written report in 5 working days, free and without obligation.
Frequently asked questions
- What does the Claims Recovery worker look for?
- Quantity and quality losses that need a claim, protest or commercial act in time: wagon net vs waybill (RAIL-04), the commercial-act window (RAIL-05), the CMR Article 30 reservation window (GATE-12), the shore scale, draft survey and bill of lading triangle (QTY-02), protest completeness before sailing (VES-11), road net vs transport document (WGH-08), moisture-explained weight change (LAB-03) and stock roll-forward vs survey (STK-01).
- How long do I have to reserve a claim under CMR?
- Under Article 30 of the CMR Convention, reservations for loss or damage that is not apparent have to be sent within seven days of delivery, Sundays and public holidays excepted; otherwise taking delivery is prima facie evidence that the goods arrived as described in the consignment note. Outturn computes this window per truck once a weight shortage has been found.
- What tolerance does Outturn use for weight differences?
- The one you configure, for example the accuracy of your weighbridge and any contractual allowance. Without a configured tolerance the result is 'not computable'; Outturn never assumes one.
- Does Outturn file the claim?
- No. It assembles the evidence pack (source records, weights, times, documents) and drafts; a named person approves and sends.
Sources
- Convention on the Contract for the International Carriage of Goods by Road (CMR), Article 30: https://www.unidroit.org/english/conventions/1956cmr/cmr_e.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- SMGS (Agreement on International Goods Transport by Rail), commercial act provisions, Lithuanian text published by LTG Cargo: https://doc.ltgcargo.lt/lt/dokumentai/SMGS_LT.pdf (accessed 2026-10-06)
- Britannia P&I, 'Loss prevention guidance: preventing bulk shortage claims' (2025-03-28, updated 2025-09-29): https://britanniapandi.com/2025/03/loss-prevention-guidance-preventing-bulk-shortage-claims/ (accessed 2026-10-06)