01
Principal Buyer
Direct Purchase
We purchase distressed, damaged, rejected, off-specification, abandoned or otherwise problematic cargo for our own account — allowing cargo interests to close a file quickly and with commercial certainty.
International · Confidential · Worldwide
Worldwide Distressed Cargo
Buyers & Recovery Specialists.
Damaged Cargo · Rejected Cargo · Abandoned Cargo · Insurance Salvage · Cargo Recovery
We evaluate, purchase, recover and remarket distressed cargo worldwide. Where appropriate, Pommer & Partners acts as principal, commits its own capital and purchases cargo on an AS IS, WHERE IS basis.
Buyer · Principal · Recovery specialist · Worldwide
contact@pommerpartners.comDistressed Cargo TradingInsurance SalvageCargo RecoveryDistressed Cargo TradingInsurance SalvageCargo Recovery
Global reach
One desk. Every port.
An established international network of buyers, processors, surveyors and recycling partners across the major trade lanes — engaged case by case as soon as a cargo notification reaches the desk.
Pommer & Partners — International Marine & Cargo Salvage since 1952.
Years of Experience
*
Cargo Cases
Countries
Generations
*Approximate historical figure based on decades of salvage activity. Complete case-by-case records from earlier decades are no longer available.
One case. One contact. Multiple solutions.
Three core capabilities under one roof.
Clients do not need several different companies. Pommer & Partners can manage the complete process from initial cargo assessment through purchase, remarketing, recovery or final disposal.
02
Salvage & Remarketing
Salvage Sale & Remarketing
Where direct purchase is not commercially or geographically appropriate, we organise and manage the sale through our international network of buyers, traders, processors and end users.
03
Recovery Coordinator
Recovery, Recycling & Disposal
If cargo no longer has a commercially viable market, we organise recycling, recovery, alternative industrial use, destruction or legally compliant disposal.
Depending on cargo, location and circumstances
Whatever the cargo problem, one first call.
Pommer & Partners manages the complete process from initial cargo assessment through purchase, remarketing, recovery or final disposal — so clients do not have to coordinate several companies.
Distressed cargo solutions- 01purchase the cargo directly;
- 02identify and negotiate with suitable buyers;
- 03develop alternative markets or industrial applications;
- 04arrange recycling or recovery;
- 05organise destruction or disposal when no commercial recovery is possible.
About the firm
International solutions for cargo under stress.
Pommer & Partners provides international solutions for cargo affected by transport damage, insurance claims, abandoned shipments and warehouse losses.
We combine technical understanding, international trading experience and a global network of buyers and recycling partners to maximize the remaining value of distressed goods.
Every cargo incident is unique. Our objective is to identify the best commercial outcome while ensuring professional handling throughout the entire process.
Insurers, P&I Clubs and cargo interests reviewing international cargo recovery companies and specialist salvage buyers will find the roles, selection criteria and commercial options set out on our cargo recovery companies page.
Read moreServices
A complete approach to distressed cargo.
01
Distressed Cargo Trading
Direct purchase or commercial remarketing of damaged, refused or surplus shipments to international buyers.
02
Insurance Salvage
On-claim recovery solutions that reduce indemnity exposure for marine and cargo underwriters.
03
Cargo Recovery
End-to-end coordination from notification through resale, recycling or sustainable disposal.
Industries
Working across the global supply chain.
We work with principals and intermediaries in every sector that moves physical goods — from marine underwriters to chemical producers.
- 01Marine & Shipping
- 02Logistics
- 03Insurance
- 04Manufacturing
- 05Chemical Industry
- 06Food & Agriculture
- 07Consumer Goods
- 08Industrial Products
Process
A disciplined sequence, every file.
From the first notification to final documentation, every cargo file follows the same seven-step sequence — repeatable, documented, and tailored to the commercial reality of the goods.
- 01
Cargo Notification
A single point of contact opens the file and confirms receipt.
- 02
Initial Assessment
Condition, documentation and salvage potential reviewed.
- 03
Commercial Evaluation
Market-based commercial assessment against available market information.
- 04
Market Analysis
Buyer screening across our international network.
- 05
International Remarketing
Discreet placement with counterparties assessed for the specific cargo.
- 06
Recovery or Disposal
Resale, recycling or compliant disposal as appropriate.
- 07
Documentation & Reporting
The steps taken and documents obtained are reported to the parties involved.
Why choose us
The standards a serious file demands.
- International Network
- Fast Response
- Commercial Expertise
- Global Buyers
- Sustainable Solutions
- Confidential Handling
- Reliable Communication
- Professional Documentation
Our role depends on the case
Depending on the cargo, jurisdiction and commercial circumstances, Pommer & Partners may purchase cargo as principal or provide remarketing, recovery, recycling or disposal coordination services. Where we buy, we act as a party to the transaction — not as an independent adviser or valuer.
01
Principal Buyer
We buy the cargo for our own account.
02
Salvage Sale Manager
We structure and run the as-is sale.
03
Remarketing Partner
We place cargo in an alternative market.
04
Recovery Coordinator
We organise recovery, recycling or disposal.
Marine & ShippingLogisticsInsuranceManufacturingChemical IndustryFood & AgricultureConsumer GoodsIndustrial ProductsMarine & ShippingLogisticsInsuranceManufacturingChemical IndustryFood & AgricultureConsumer GoodsIndustrial Products
Our History
Three Generations in International Salvage
Salvage Experience since 1952
Three Generations. Worldwide.
The Pommer family’s experience in the salvage business dates back to 1952, when the first generation began trading in salvage paper.
Klaus Pommer grew into the salvage business as the second generation, building extensive hands-on experience over the decades and expanding the family’s activities from salvage paper into the international trading and recovery of distressed and damaged cargoes.
Today, Pommer & Partners is entering its third generation, carrying forward more than seven decades of experience while combining traditional salvage expertise with an international network and a modern approach to cargo recovery, remarketing and salvage trading.
1952
The Beginning
First-generation involvement in salvage trading, initially specialising in salvage paper.
Second Generation
Klaus Pommer
Klaus Pommer grew into the family salvage business and subsequently expanded its activities into international distressed and damaged cargo trading.
Today
Third Generation
Pommer & Partners enters its third generation, combining traditional salvage expertise with modern international cargo recovery and remarketing.
Urgent marine cases · Shipowners & P&I Clubs
Cargo problem holding up your vessel?
When rejected or distressed cargo prevents a vessel from continuing normal operations, time can become more expensive than the cargo itself. Pommer & Partners evaluates commercially realistic options for removing, selling, recovering or disposing of problematic cargo.
Types of cases
Cargo situations we are asked to solve.
- 01Distressed Cargo
- 02Damaged Cargo
- 03Rejected Cargo
- 04Off-Spec Cargo
- 05Contaminated Cargo
- 06Wet Cargo
- 07Temperature-Damaged Cargo
- 08Abandoned Cargo
- 09Unclaimed Cargo
- 10Customs Problems
- 11Insolvency Stocks
- 12Marine Casualties
- 13General Average / Salvage Situations
- 14Cargo requiring urgent removal
- 15Cargo requiring destruction or disposal
Global reach
Salvage Business Without Borders
For more than seven decades, the Pommer name has been involved in salvage transactions across international shipping and commodity markets.
Our historical experience extends across 100+ countries and markets, with particularly extensive activity throughout Europe, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Canada and numerous markets across Asia.
From major international seaports to challenging and remote discharge locations, our role remains the same: assess the cargo, identify its remaining commercial value and find the most effective solution.
Experience across 100+ countries and markets.
Historical activity
Europe
Historical activity
Mediterranean
Historical activity
Africa
Historical activity
Middle East
Historical activity
Canada
Historical activity
Asia
Historical activity
Other international maritime markets
Geographic information represents historical business activity and international market reach. Pommer & Partners does not maintain offices in these countries.
International capability
Worldwide Cargo Solutions
Our network enables us to evaluate cargo across Europe, the Mediterranean, Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Americas.
Pommer & Partners International Trading Limited is registered in Ireland and works through an established international network of buyers, processors and service providers. We distinguish clearly between our own company locations and that network — we do not maintain offices in every country in which we handle cases.
Region
Europe
Region
Mediterranean
Region
Middle East
Region
Africa
Region
Asia
Region
Americas
No Cure – No Pay
For selected salvage and recovery assignments, Pommer & Partners can work on a success-related basis. Commercial terms depend on the individual case; not every assignment qualifies.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
- What is distressed cargo?
- Distressed cargo is commercial cargo whose original sale, delivery or intended use has been disrupted by damage, rejection, specification issues, contamination, logistics problems, insolvency, abandonment or other circumstances. It often still holds commercial value in a different market, grade or application. Distressed cargo.
- Who buys distressed cargo?
- Distressed cargo is bought by specialist buyers who can assess condition, regulation and alternative markets. Pommer & Partners purchases distressed cargo as principal and, where direct purchase is not appropriate, arranges a salvage sale or remarketing through international buyers, processors and end users. Cargo remarketing & salvage sales.
- Where can I sell damaged cargo?
- Damaged cargo can be sold to buyers who work with downgraded grades, technical or industrial applications, or processors. Send the commodity, quantity, location, condition and any survey or laboratory information to contact@pommerpartners.com and we will assess realistic routes. Damaged cargo buyers.
- Who buys rejected cargo?
- Rejected cargo — refused at destination for specification, quality, documentation, contamination or regulatory reasons — is bought by specialists able to place it in an alternative market or use. Pommer & Partners buys rejected cargo directly or manages its remarketing. Rejected & off-spec cargo.
- Who buys damaged grain?
- Damaged grain is bought by traders, feed producers, processors and industrial users depending on laboratory results and applicable feed and food regulation. Pommer & Partners evaluates damaged maize, wheat, barley, rice, soy products, feed ingredients and vegetable oils case by case. Agricultural commodities.
- Can rejected cargo be resold?
- Often, but not always. Resale depends on cargo condition, laboratory results, title, customs status, sanctions position and local law. Where resale is not possible, recovery, recycling or compliant disposal may be the realistic route.
- What happens when cargo is rejected at the discharge port?
- The usual sequence is: documentation and survey review, commercial and regulatory assessment, then a route — direct purchase, an alternative buyer, an alternative market, processing, recovery or disposal. Speed matters because storage, demurrage and port costs continue to accrue. Rejected cargo solutions.
- Can Pommer & Partners purchase cargo directly?
- Yes. Depending on the commodity, location, jurisdiction and commercial circumstances, Pommer & Partners can purchase cargo as principal for its own account, which allows cargo interests to close a file with commercial certainty.
- Does Pommer & Partners only broker cargo?
- No. Pommer & Partners is not merely a broker. It can act as principal buyer, salvage sale manager, remarketing partner, recovery coordinator, recycling coordinator or disposal coordinator, depending on the case.
- Can Pommer & Partners arrange disposal?
- Yes. Where no commercially viable market remains, Pommer & Partners can coordinate recycling, energy recovery where legally permitted, supervised destruction and legally compliant disposal with licensed operators. Cargo disposal & destruction.
- Can damaged food be used for animal feed?
- Sometimes, but this cannot be assumed. It depends on the cargo condition, laboratory results, contaminant type and levels, and the applicable food and feed regulations and local law. Each case must be assessed on documented evidence. Agricultural & feed cargo.
- Can Pommer & Partners handle urgent vessel cases?
- Yes. Where distressed or rejected cargo delays discharge or holds up a vessel, the objective is usually the best overall economic outcome rather than the highest theoretical cargo price. Urgent cases can be submitted directly by email, without a form. Marine cargo salvage.
- Which documents should I send for a cargo evaluation?
- Commodity, quantity, current location, cargo condition or problem, survey report if available, laboratory analysis if available, photographs and the required timeframe. The more complete the documentation, the faster a realistic option can be given.
- Does Pommer & Partners operate internationally?
- Yes. Pommer & Partners International Trading Limited is registered in Ireland and handles cases worldwide through its own activities and an established international network of buyers, processors and service providers. It does not maintain offices in every country in which it handles cases.
- What happens if the cargo has no commercial value?
- Where no market remains, the realistic routes are recycling, material or energy recovery where legally permitted, destruction under supervision, or compliant disposal — coordinated so that the vessel, container, terminal or warehouse is released. Cargo recovery & recycling.
Trust & compliance
Commercial, but always within the rules.
Transactions and services are subject to verification and applicable regulation, including:
- Ownership and title verification
- Applicable customs requirements
- Sanctions and compliance checks
- Environmental and waste regulations
- Local laws
- Cargo-specific regulatory requirements
Purchases and sales require evidence of ownership and authority to sell, or the written authority of the insurer or party entitled to dispose of the cargo. Recovery, recycling and disposal routes depend on waste classification and on applicable environmental, transport and customs rules in the countries involved. Potential alternative use of food or agricultural cargo, including animal-feed applications, depends on cargo condition, laboratory results and applicable food and feed legislation, and is only pursued where the competent authorities and the relevant rules allow it.
Cargo desk
Have distressed cargo requiring a solution?
Send us the cargo details, location, quantity, condition and available survey information for an initial assessment.
contact@pommerpartners.com