Question

In maritime commerce, the doctrine of "general average" stipulates that when cargo or ship equipment is intentionally sacrificed to preserve a vessel and its remaining cargo from imminent maritime peril, the resulting financial loss is shared proportionally among all commercial stakeholders whose property survived the voyage. For an act to qualify under standard rules governing general average, three conditions must be met: the peril threatening the maritime venture must be real and impending; the sacrifice or extraordinary expenditure must be voluntary and deliberate; and the action must successfully preserve at least a portion of the maritime venture.

Consequently, ordinary operational expenses or damage caused directly by unavoidable natural hazards—such as sea waves sweeping deck cargo overboard during a storm without human agency—do not constitute general average; rather, they remain "particular average," borne exclusively by the individual owner of the damaged property. Furthermore, if a sacrifice was necessitated by the shipowner's failure to exercise due diligence to ensure a seaworthy vessel at the commencement of the voyage, cargo owners are typically relieved from contributing to the vessel's losses, even if the sacrifice successfully averted total shipwreck.

Based on the passage, which of the following statements can be logically inferred regarding general average and maritime property losses? (Select all that apply.)