Most containers arrive as expected. A small number do not, and how that small number is handled defines whether a supply relationship survives its first difficult season. This note sets out how quality claims on Egyptian produce shipments are assessed in practice, what evidence carries weight, and where responsibility usually falls.

The first 24 hours decide the claim

A claim raised within 24 hours of container discharge with photographs, temperature data and a defect count is a claim that can be assessed. A claim raised on day five, after the fruit has been in a ripening room or split between three customers, is very difficult to evaluate no matter how genuine the underlying problem was. Perishable goods degrade continuously, so the evidentiary window closes fast.

On opening the doors, record the container seal number intact, the reefer display showing set point and return air temperature, and the general condition of the load before any pallet is moved. Then photograph the affected pallets in position, with pallet IDs visible. Our guidance on reefer set points by crop explains what the display should be showing for each product.

Evidence that holds up

Four things carry weight in a settlement discussion. First, the temperature logger download, ideally from a logger placed inside the load at stuffing rather than only the container’s own recorder. Second, a defect count on a defined sample, for example 100 fruit drawn from five cartons across three pallets, expressed as a percentage by defect type. Third, dated photographs that show both the defect and the carton or pallet identification. Fourth, an independent survey where the value at stake justifies it.

Vague statements do not survive scrutiny. A note saying the fruit was poor is not a claim. A note saying 18 percent of sampled fruit showed stem-end rot on pallets 7 through 11, with logger data showing return air at 6 degrees for 40 hours in transit, is a claim that can be resolved quickly, often in the buyer’s favour.

Separating supplier, carrier and buyer responsibility

Three parties can cause a condition problem, and the evidence usually points clearly at one. If the logger shows the set point was correct and stable throughout, and the defect is a latent field or postharvest issue such as internal breakdown or fungal infection that developed from an existing infection point, the origin side owns it. If the logger shows a temperature excursion, a failed unit or a long gate-out delay at the discharge port, that is a carrier or terminal matter and is pursued against the line, usually within a nine month notice period under the bill of lading.

If the fruit arrived sound and the problem developed after collection, in a ripening room set too warm or in a chill store holding the wrong temperature, the buyer side owns it. This is why the arrival record matters so much. Without it, all three explanations remain open and nobody can settle honestly.

Where Incoterms fit

Incoterms allocate cost and risk transfer, not quality responsibility. Under FOB, risk passes when goods are loaded, so a transit temperature failure is the buyer’s to pursue against the carrier, though a reputable exporter will support that claim with loading records. Under CFR or CIF, the seller arranges carriage but risk still passes at loading. Under DAP, the seller carries risk to the named place. None of these change the fact that goods must conform to the contract specification at the point of shipment. Our note on Incoterms 2020 for Egyptian produce sets out the practical differences.

How settlements are usually structured

Full rejection of a container is rare and rarely in either party’s interest, since the fruit continues to lose value while the discussion runs. The common outcomes are a price allowance on the affected pallets, a credit against the next shipment, or a shared cost where the evidence is genuinely mixed. Settling on the affected portion rather than the whole load is standard, which is why a pallet-level defect count matters more than a general assessment.

Prevention is cheaper than settlement. Pre-shipment inspection through SGS or Intertek, a temperature logger in every load with a new buyer, and lot-level traceability on every pallet remove most of the ambiguity before it arises.

To discuss claim procedure, request pre-shipment inspection on a booking, or review the arrival record on a current shipment, contact the PEI Trade export desk on WhatsApp at +20 10 9911 1918.