What Is a Pre-Loading Survey and Why Is It Carried Out?

One of the most frequently disputed issues in sea carriage is when damage found at the discharge port actually occurred. Did the cargo arrive at the ship already damaged, or was it damaged during loading, the voyage or discharge? A pre-loading survey produces documented evidence on the first half of that question: the condition of the cargo before it went on board.

The surveyor examines packing, marks, signs of rust and wetting, mechanical damage and storage conditions. Findings are matched with photographs item by item and set out in the report.

The bill of lading is the key document showing the apparent order and condition in which the carrier received the cargo. Under the international carriage regimes, the carrier is expected to state that apparent condition on the bill. A bill without adverse remarks is known as a clean bill of lading.

If pre-existing defects are not recorded, the bill may suggest the cargo was received in good order. Pre-loading survey findings are one of the concrete records the master can draw on when deciding which remarks to clause.

The survey is most common for steel products. Steel is vulnerable to moisture, salt water and impact, and rust and edge damage are frequent on coils, plates, rebar, sections and pipes. Owners carrying steel, and their P&I clubs, therefore place particular weight on an independent pre-shipment record.

Project cargo, machinery, timber and packaged general cargo also benefit from a condition survey. Here the focus is on packing integrity, visible impact marks and the state of protective coatings.

For the carrier, the survey records pre-existing damage for which it should not be held responsible. For the shipper, an independent record of the cargo's condition before shipment provides a reference point in any later quality discussion with the buyer.

Insurers can use these reports to assess exposure and, in the event of a claim, to understand when damage occurred. Buyers, for their part, obtain an independent view of the general condition of the goods before they leave the load port.

A pre-loading survey takes place after the cargo has arrived on the quay or in the port stacking area and before loading begins. Stacking should allow each item to be seen; with coils stacked in tiers, the lower items can only be inspected to a limited extent.

Having the surveyor on board or on the quay during loading also helps catch defects that could not be seen in the stack but become visible during handling. For this reason, some operations combine the pre-loading survey with continued attendance throughout loading.

The report typically contains a list of the items inspected, item-by-item defects, a photographic appendix, observations on storage conditions and, where requested, suggested bill of lading remarks.

Passing significant findings to the master, the agent and the instructing party before loading starts makes it easier for remarks to be entered on time and against the right items.

It should be agreed in advance whether the whole consignment or a sample will be inspected, in whose name the report will be issued and to whom, and when, findings will be passed on. Getting the cargo list and stacking plan to the surveyor early speeds up the work on site.

Karan Gözetim provides pre-loading surveys from its base in Gemlik; the scope of inspection and the sampling approach are agreed at quotation stage.