Container arrived wet or mouldy: what to do

Quarantine the stock and plan safe unloading

Put suspect goods on hold in your stock system and mark a separate storage area. Here, quarantine means an internal stock hold. Keep affected cartons away from saleable stock and block dispatch. Ask the warehouse manager to assess unstable loads, wet floors and mould exposure before anyone enters or handles the cargo.

Do not leave goods deteriorating merely to preserve evidence. Photograph their original condition, then agree safe unloading and protective storage with the warehouse and insurer where possible. Record urgent actions and why they were necessary. Avoid brushing mould away or running wet electrical products to see whether they work.

Record the damage as the load comes out

Before opening, photograph the container identification, seal, doors and visible damage. Record arrival and opening times, weather and who attended. As unloading progresses, photograph each exposed area, including roof, walls, floor, water trails, wet wrapping and desiccants. Note visible damage on the delivery record and retain a copy. For empty-container return problems, see our UK depot refusal guide.

Map affected cartons by their original position and product batch. Distinguish wet outer packaging, damaged inner packaging and affected products. Record quantities examined and unopened stock separately. Preserve original photographs, labelled samples and representative packaging where safe. Compare these with the China loading check records, rather than assuming the wettest carton identifies the cause.

Notify the parties before the cause is settled

Send a factual written notice promptly to the cargo insurer or broker, seller, freight forwarder and relevant carrier or haulier. Include shipment references, container and seal details, discovery time, apparent damage, photographs and storage location. Ask each recipient to acknowledge receipt and confirm its notification procedure, applicable deadlines and survey contact. Do not wait for a final loss figure.

Ask the insurer who should appoint the surveyor and invite relevant parties to attend. Request that transport contacts preserve handover and container condition records. Read the cargo insurance guide for cover and claims, and the faulty goods guide for the separate seller dispute. Reporting damage does not itself establish liability or insurance cover.

For suspect food, contact the local authority's food safety team or port health authority for advice before release or attempted salvage. If you need to withdraw or recall food products, you must immediately tell your local authority. Tell the warehouse and any business customers holding suspect stock to stop dispatch while its status is assessed.

Give the surveyor a useful investigation brief

Ask a cargo surveyor experienced with the product to record the damage pattern, likely causes, extent of loss and possible recovery options. Supply the packing list, invoice, transport documents, loading photographs, packaging specification and any moisture or temperature records. Ask the report to distinguish observations from conclusions and state what could not be inspected.

Condensation, leaks and moisture already present in goods or packaging are possibilities to investigate, not conclusions from photographs alone. Agree sampling and any laboratory work with the surveyor and insurer. A cargo survey may explain damage without establishing product safety; obtain suitable product testing or specialist assessment before deciding whether affected goods can be released.

Approve salvage, disposal and corrective action

Separate stock into held, potentially recoverable and proposed disposal groups. For salvage, write down the proposed drying, cleaning, repacking or repair method, acceptance checks and who may authorise release. Compare recovery costs with the usable value and residual risk. A dry carton or missing odour is not enough to demonstrate that the product is safe or meets its specification. If recovery delays stock beyond an event, see our guide to late imported event stock.

Seek written agreement from the insurer and seller before irreversible work where practicable; record emergency mitigation separately. Before destruction or return, ask your customs agent whether HMRC's rejected-import procedure applies and whether an advance application is needed. In England and Wales, official waste guidance says to check that the recipient is authorised to take the waste before transfer. Keep disposal evidence linked to the affected stock.

Keep a loss file with survey findings, testing, stock reconciliation, storage and recovery invoices, and disposal records. Ask Cambridge China Bridge's China staff to obtain factory packing and loading evidence and follow up corrective action. Use the findings to revise packaging, moisture controls and loading checks for the next shipment.