Distressed cargo · Worldwide

Distressed Cargo Buyers
& Salvage Specialists

Pommer & Partners provides worldwide solutions for distressed, damaged, rejected, off-specification and abandoned cargo.

We work with shipowners, P&I Clubs, insurers, surveyors, cargo interests and other maritime professionals to achieve the best commercially reasonable recovery while helping release vessels, containers, terminals and storage facilities as quickly as practicable.

Depending on the circumstances, we can act as principal buyer, arrange a structured salvage sale, identify alternative markets or organise recovery and disposal. We are not a broker with a single role — the appropriate solution depends on the cargo, location, legal position and economics of the individual case.

Who we work with

  • Shipowners
  • Ship managers
  • P&I Clubs
  • Marine insurers
  • Cargo insurers
  • Lloyd's Agents
  • Average Agents
  • Surveyors
  • Salvage brokers
  • Shipping lines
  • Freight forwarders
  • Charterers
  • Cargo owners
  • Commodity traders
  • Insolvency administrators
  • Banks & financial institutions
Bulk cargo heaped inside the hold of a bulk carrier under a single work light

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.

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.

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.

What we handle

Not limited to one commodity group.

Pommer & Partners evaluates cargo across bulk, bagged, palletised, containerised and warehouse stocks. The following examples are indicative, not exhaustive.

01

Agricultural Commodities & Animal Feed

  • Maize / Corn
  • Wheat
  • Barley
  • Rice
  • Soy products
  • Feed ingredients
  • Vegetable oils
  • Other agricultural commodities
02

Chemicals & Industrial Raw Materials

  • Industrial chemicals
  • Minerals
  • Fertilisers
  • Polymer raw materials
  • Plastic materials
  • Off-specification industrial products
03

Food & Food Ingredients

  • Packaged food
  • Bulk food ingredients
  • Oils and fats
  • Temperature-affected cargo
  • Rejected food cargo
04

Metals & Minerals

  • Mineral raw materials
  • Metal products
  • Industrial minerals
  • Contaminated or off-specification bulk cargo
05

General Cargo

  • Consumer products
  • Machinery
  • Packaged goods
  • Containerised cargo
  • Abandoned containers
  • Warehouse and insolvency stocks

If your commodity is not listed, contact us. We evaluate cargo individually.

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

How we work

A short route from case to solution.

Recover value. Reduce exposure. Release the asset.

  1. 01

    Cargo Assessment

    Send us the available information:

    • Commodity
    • Quantity
    • Location
    • Photographs
    • Survey report
    • Laboratory analysis
    • Bill of Lading information where appropriate
    • Reason for rejection or damage
    • Time constraints
  2. 02

    Commercial Evaluation

    We determine the most practical recovery route. This may include direct purchase, salvage sale, alternative market placement, processing, recycling or disposal.

  3. 03

    Solution

    BuyRemarketRecoverRecycleDispose
  4. 04

    Execution

    We coordinate the commercial solution with the relevant parties and local service providers where required. The objective is simple: recover value, reduce exposure, release the asset.

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.

Send us the casecontact@pommerpartners.com

International desk · 24/7 · +49 221 405027

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.

Submit cargo details

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
Submit Cargo Details