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EnglishWhat Services Does CWA International Offer?
Updated
CWA International (CWA) provides technical investigation and claims analysis for international trade, shipping, insurance, reinsurance, and legal clients. Its services fall into two groups: expert services (independent investigation, live attendance, post-incident investigation, and expert witness work) and departmental expertise covering eight technical fields, from fire and explosion to marine and ports. If your claim or dispute involves loss, damage, contamination, or quality issues in shipped or stored goods, CWA is structured to investigate the incident and support the resulting claim.
Core service lines
CWA describes its offering around four service types, listed under "Services" and "Experts":
| Service | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Independent | Objective investigation and analysis, positioned separately from the parties in a dispute |
| Live attendance | Attendance at the incident or site while matters are ongoing |
| Post incident | Technical investigation of loss and damage incidents after they occur |
| Expert witness | Expert testimony in legal proceedings |
The company states it has a track record spanning more than 45 years providing consultancy to clients in international trade, shipping, insurance and reinsurance, and their legal counterparts.
Departments and areas of expertise
CWA organises its technical work into eight departments. Each handles a distinct category of cargo, asset, or incident:
- Fire & Explosion — combustion specialists providing forensic investigation and analysis of fire and explosion incidents.
- Food & Agricultural Commodities — high-volume commodities stored and shipped in bulk, plus handling and shipment of fresh and frozen produce.
- Forensic Data Analysis & IT — forensic analysis of big data, and design and use of bespoke database software.
- Marine & Ports — investigation of marine casualties, ship and cargo damage incidents, and analysis of claims.
- Metals & Minerals — metals smelting and manufacture, minerals processing, treatment, storage, and marine transportation.
- Oil, Gas & Chemicals — contamination and quality issues, oil loss investigations, and operational audits of marine tankers, gas carriers, oil storage terminals, and refinery plant.
- Risk, Safety & Environmental — technical risk assessment, risk management studies, safety and loss prevention studies, and environmental impact assessments.
How the two layers fit together
The service lines describe how CWA engages (independent, on-site, after the fact, or in court). The departments describe what the engagement is about. A single matter can draw on both — for example, a fire on a bulk carrier could involve the Fire & Explosion department for the forensic cause analysis and the Marine & Ports department for the vessel and cargo damage claim, with the findings later presented through the expert witness service.
Offices and contact
CWA lists a London office and a Singapore office, with a 24/7 contact line at +44 (0) 20 7242 8444. The company also lists Publications and Vacancies sections on its site.
When CWA is a fit
CWA is relevant if you need a technical investigation into a loss or damage incident connected to international maritime trade, or an analysis of a claim arising from it — particularly where the subject matter falls into one of the eight departments above. The independent positioning and expert witness service matter most when the findings may be used in a legal or insurance dispute rather than for internal purposes alone.