Sometimes a sacrifice is made to save the whole venture. General average is a maritime principle under which the cost of intentional, extraordinary sacrifices or expenditures made to preserve the ship and cargo from a common peril is shared proportionally among all parties to the voyage.

Classic examples include jettison of cargo to lighten a grounded ship, or the cost of salvage and refuge port expenses after a serious casualty. An average adjuster calculates each party’s contribution based on the value of their interest. The York-Antwerp Rules provide widely accepted detailed rules.

General average requires formal declaration and security from cargo interests before goods are released. It is distinct from particular average, which is a partial loss borne by the owner of the damaged property alone. The doctrine remains a distinctive feature of maritime law.

• Sharing of sacrifice or expenditure to save the common venture
• Applies when intentional acts preserve ship and cargo
• Calculated by average adjusters under established rules
• Requires security before cargo release