Shipping Line Liability,
Misdeclaration & Maritime Incident Investigation
DTA Group provides independent technical investigation and claims support services to shipping lines, P&I Clubs, vessel operators, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, cargo interests, insurers, and legal professionals in relation to cargo misdeclaration, vessel incidents, dangerous goods casualties, container fires, cargo explosions, contamination events, and maritime liability investigations.
Our experienced marine surveyors assist in determining the probable cause of incidents, evaluating cargo condition, collecting technical evidence, assessing liabilities, and preparing factual investigation reports in accordance with international maritime practices.
Technical expertise for maritime liability & incident investigation
Specialized in misdeclaration, dangerous goods, container fires, vessel casualties, and P&I claims support.
Cargo Misdeclaration Investigation
Investigation of incorrectly declared, concealed, or undeclared cargo that may have contributed to vessel fires, explosions, hazardous incidents, or operational losses.
Dangerous Goods (DG) Investigation
Assessment of IMDG Code compliance, packing, segregation, stowage, documentation, labelling and cargo handling procedures.
Container Fire Investigation
Technical investigation of container fires involving hazardous cargo, lithium batteries, chemicals, charcoal, calcium hypochlorite, waste materials, and other dangerous commodities.
Vessel Casualty Investigation
Technical assessment following fires, explosions, collisions, cargo shifting, water ingress, groundings, and cargo related maritime incidents.
Cargo Liability Assessment
Assessment of cargo owner's, shipper's, freight forwarder's, carrier's, terminal operator's, and other stakeholders' potential liabilities.
Container Damage Investigation
Inspection of damaged containers resulting from fire, explosion, impact, cargo leakage, contamination, or handling incidents.
Technical Evidence Collection
Collection of photographs, witness statements, cargo documentation, container markings, seal verification, and technical observations.
Root Cause & P&I Support
Investigation of probable sequence of events leading to cargo damage or maritime casualty, with technical assistance to P&I Clubs, correspondents, and maritime legal advisors.
Services we provide
From emergency survey attendance to recovery coordination support.
Emergency Survey Attendance
24×7 emergency attendance at ports, terminals, warehouses, and vessel locations.
Independent Incident Investigation
Neutral and factual investigation of cargo and vessel related incidents.
Joint Survey Coordination
Coordination with shipping lines, P&I Clubs, insurers, cargo interests, port authorities, and investigators.
Technical Findings Reports
Preparation of professional factual reports with supporting evidence.
Container & Cargo Inspection
Inspection of affected containers and cargo condition.
Dangerous Goods Assessment
Review of IMDG compliance and DG documentation.
Evidence Preservation
Collection and preservation of evidence for future claims and legal proceedings.
Recovery Coordination Support
Technical support during recovery actions against liable parties.
Maritime incident investigation process
Structured, fast, and transparent – from notification to recovery support.
Emergency Notification
Immediate intimation & advice
Survey Attendance
On-site inspection at port/vessel
Evidence Preservation
Photos, documents & witness statements
Technical Investigation
Root cause & liability assessment
Claims & Recovery Support
Technical reporting & recovery coordination
Maritime incident & cargo investigation gallery
Real cases from vessel casualties, container fires, and DG incidents.
Why choose DTA Group?
- 24+ Years Marine Survey Experience – proven track record across complex maritime claims
- Shipping Line & P&I Claims Expertise – deep understanding of carrier liabilities
- Dangerous Goods Awareness – IMDG Code compliance & DG investigation specialists
- Reefer & Container Specialists – technical expertise in containerised cargo
- Independent Technical Investigations – neutral, factual, and defensible reporting
- India & UAE Coverage – full operational support across major trade corridors
- Professional Evidence Collection – reduce claim rejection risk with robust documentation
Investigations / Year
Emergency Response
Global Offices (India, UAE)
Successful Documentation
Request a maritime incident investigation
Fill the form or call us directly – our survey team will respond within hours.