PRIZE CARGOES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 169, 5 June 1940, Page 6

PRIZE CARGOES

METHOD OF HANDLING IN PORT OF LONDON * • SOME COMPENSATION PAID An article in the March issue of the Port of London Authority monthly describes the handling' of prize and contraband cargoes in the jiori of London. "The Prize Branch of H.M. Customs notify the Port of Lon don Authority of the arrival of the vessel and forward them a list of the seized goods. The discharge is performed either by the authority, or on their behalf by a stevedoring firm,, and the floods arc stored by the authority on account of the Admiralty Marshal. The shipowner or broker is notified of what cargo has been detained and the vessel is held until the detained cargo has been released by H.M. Customs or discharged for further examination. Goods detained and subsequently released are restowed and the vessel is allowed to proceed on her voyage. When the examination of the seized cargo is complete the case is then ready to be brought before the Prize Court which decides whether the cargo is contraband or not. The sale of actual contraband goods is then ordered and the remainder of the disputed cargo is released. Brokers for the sale of the various commodities seized are appointed by the Admiralty Marshal and the proceeds are held in the Prize Fund Account until the termination of hostilities. Compensation is paid in respect of goods held to be non-contraband."