News - Visit this section for the latest news from WK Webster.

Headlines:

China Marine Summit - 24/25 Sep 2008 Shanghai
Ken Fulker
Chris Osman
WKW Presentation to Emerging Singapore Lloyds Market
Patrick Watson - WKW New York
ITAL at the IMUA Annual Meeting
Brazil lifts Import Insurance Restrictions
Revised Cargo Claim Fee Scale
ITAL Expanding to USA and Singapore
Staff Promotions
Beware of the Submarine – WKW to the Rescue

Mr. Brian Jenner, Director of our subsidiary company Seawise Maritime Services in Singapore, will speak at the above event on 'Global Marine Risk Management Outlook' and also take part in a panel discussion to 'Examine China's Marine Development with Global Perspective'. More details of the event, which will take place in the InterContinental Pudong, Shanghai, can be obtained from the Organising Committee on Tel. 008621 6271 5600 or Fax 008621 6271 5399.

With effect from Monday 2 June, Ken Fulker will take up his new role as Manager, Cargo Casualty Management Dept, in our Singapore Office. His transfer is a strong addition to an already successful and growing team in our Singapore Regional Office. In addition to servicing Cargo Casualty claims arising in the Asia Pacific region, Ken's invaluable experience in handling the larger recovery cases will enhance those services provided to our Regional clients.

The Partners of W K Webster & Co have great pleasure in announcing that Chris Osman has accepted their invitation to join the Partnership with effect from 1 March 2009. (April 2008)

Singapore has recently emerged as a second location for the Lloyds of London Insurance Market operation. Whilst two Lloyds brokers have had a long standing presence in Singapore, a further seven have opened Singapore offices in recent months and more are in the process of doing so. As Singapore is also home to W K Webster's second largest office with an overall staff of 65, we have invited the Marine element of this market to a presentation titled ""Introduction to WKW - Helping You Help Your Assured" which will be given by our Chairman, Andrew Joannou, on 16 June 2008 at One George Street in Singapore. The presentation will give some background on the Webster group and also provide key examples of the accounts we serve, the services provided and our approach to Claims Management.If you would like to attend and have not yet been invited, please e-mail info@wkwebster.com.sg with your contact details. (April 2008)

We are pleased to announce that Patrick Watson has successfully passed the New York State insurance adjusters exam. This makes Patrick a "New York Licensed Inland Marine Adjuster". Over the next few months Patrick will also take the Florida or Texas exam which will then allow us to have reciprocation across most US States and further broaden the range of expertise which our New York office can offer. (April 2008)

IMUA - the US Inland Marine Underwriting Association - held their Annual Meeting in Dallas TX from Sunday April 6 through Tuesday April 8. ITAL US, the W K Webster subsidiary handling transport liability claims, were present as an approved vendor. Many delegates stopped by the ITAL table and said hello to our representatives Anthony Smith and Patrick Watson. (April 2008)

The Brazilian government has recently lifted restrictions which limit insurance cover on import cargo to Brazil to insurance companies registered in Brazil. It is now possible for non-Brazilian insurers to insure goods being shipped to Brazil which is the largest country in South America, comprising almost half the South American continent. It is the fifth largest country in the world by land mass, and its economy is the eighth largest in the world. Brazil's foreign trade is larger in volume and value than the rest of the Latin American countries combined. W K Webster have established survey agents in Rio de Janeiro, Santos / Sao Paolo and Rio Grande and are at your disposal to handle any claims you may encounter on Brazilian import cargo. (Feb 2008)

For only the second time in the last 14 years, W K Webster have reviewed their fee scale for the handling and settling of cargo claims. Details of the new fee scale which came into effect on 1 January 2008 are available on request. (Jan 2008)

ITAL International Transit and Liability Specialists - a 100% owned subsidiary of the W K Webster group - have expanded their operation by the formation of ITAL divisions in the United States and Singapore.

ITAL specialise in handling claims on behalf of insurers of logistics operators, freight forwarders, warehousers, terminal operators and airlines.

ITAL act to protect insurers and carriers interests in the investigation, adjustment, negotiation and settlement of liability claims. Please refer to the transport liability section of our website for details of the full range of services offered by ITAL.

Contact details of our three divisions in the UK, USA and Singapore are:

UK
ITAL
Contact: Mr. Steve Wareham
Tel: +44 (0) 20 8269 7500
Email: info@italuk.com


USA
ITAL USA
Contact: Mr. Anthony Smith
Tel: +1 347 410 9830
Email: info@ital-us.com


SINGAPORE
ITAL ASIA
Contact: Mr. Yong Poh Sim and Mr. Mufei Lo
Tel: +65 6224 6515
Email: info@italasia.com.sg
** (Jan 2008)

W K Webster are very pleased to announce the following promotions across the Group:

London - with effect from 1st December 2007:

Mark Allison (Cargo Claims) to Manager
Steve Clark (Cargo Claims) to Assistant Manager
Bernie Eggleden (Cargo Claims) to Assistant Manager
Christian Bruze (Cargo Claims) to Section Head
Rose Mackmurdie (Cargo Claims) to Case Handler
George Willett (Cargo Claims) to Case Handler
Caron Mole (Cargo Claims) to Case Assistant
Helen Ward (Cargo Claims) to Case Assistant


Singapore - with effect from 1st January 2008:

Christina Lau (Cargo Claims) to Director
Jerome Chong (Cargo Claims) to Senior Executive Officer
Chua Yen Li (Cargo Claims) to Senior Executive Officer
Michael Huang (Cargo Claims) to Executive Officer

Our congratulations are extended to all of the above on their promotions. (Dec 2007)

On 8 January 2007 whilst crossing the Strait of Hormuz on passage from Ras Tanura to Singapore laden with approximately 280,000 tonnes of Arabian light crude oil, the stern underwater parts of the Japanese tanker vessel “MOGAMIGAWA” collided with the submerged nuclear submarine “USS NEWPORT NEWS”. As a result, the “MOGIMAGAWA” suffered damage to her bottom, propeller and main engine which necessitated repairs at Khor Fakkan, Singapore and Sasebo, Japan.

Our Hull Claims Management Services (HCMS) London were instructed in the matter on behalf of the “MOGIMAGAWA”’s Hull and Machinery Underwriters Sompo Japan Insurance Inc., Tokyo and the vessel’s Owners K Line.

With assistance from HCMS Singapore, arrangements were made for the vessel’s damages/repairs to be surveyed and contact was established with the Office of the Judge Advocate General of the US Department of the Navy in Washington. Thereafter, upon concluding negotiations relative to the issues of collision liability and quantum of “MOGIMAGAWA”’s claim, HCMS succeeded in making what in effect was a full recovery of the claim in the amount of approximately USD5,000,000 these monies being paid within a period of nine months from the date of the collision. As a result of this, HCMS received the following mail from our principals Sompo:

‘In the circumstances, we would like to take this opportunity to write to express our sincere appreciation for your valuable and kind assistance rendered to bring this case to a very satisfactory amicable settlement with the US Navy in a very short period of time.

We are indeed very much proud of the remarkable fact that you have nicely settle the matter with the US Navy without any assistance of maritime lawyers in this matter, and this fact has no doubt given our K Line people here, a fresh and added trust on the value of combined services of WKW and Sompo in hull claims handling.’

Our Hull Claims Management Services (HCMS) operate a 24 hour service and remain at your disposal for all matters relating to claims arising in connection with Hull and Machinery Policies. (Posted December 2007)

Information Department.
W K Webster & Co Ltd.