Tally services involve counting and recording, unit by unit, the cargo loaded onto or discharged from a vessel. Tally results are compared with the manifest and loading lists to identify shortages or overages.
What is Tally Services?
A tally clerk is stationed at the crane, ramp or hatch throughout the operation and records each cargo unit passing through, whether bales, pallets, cartons, coils, bags or vehicles. These records are known as tally sheets.
Counting is usually done per sling or hook: the number of units in each lift, the hold or quay area it goes to and any mark details are noted. This shows not only the total count but also how the cargo is distributed.
Units seen to be damaged, with torn packing, wet or with illegible marks during the count are recorded separately. These notes are an important record of cargo condition at the moment of receipt or delivery.
At the end of the operation the tally records are compared with the loading list or manifest. Discrepancies are reported to the parties together with their likely causes, such as cargo left on the quay, list errors or loading into the wrong hold.
Why does it matter?
With unitised and break-bulk cargo, quantity disputes usually surface at the discharge port and it becomes necessary to establish whether a shortage arose at loading or during discharge. Independent tally records are the primary document for making that distinction.
Reporting a discrepancy found during the count while the operation is still under way allows the cargo to be looked for on the quay or in the hold and the problem to be resolved before the vessel sails.
Recording damaged units separately at the time of counting provides concrete support for bill of lading remarks and delivery receipts at the discharge port.
Who is it for?
- Shippers and receivers of counted cargo such as general cargo, pallets, bales, coils and bags
- Parties wishing to independently verify loaded and discharged quantities
- Terminals and agents
- Operations carrying parcels for several receivers on the same vessel
- Insurers assessing short delivery claims
Scope of service
- Counting cargo units per lift and per shift
- Keeping tally sheets
- Recording distribution of units by hold or quay area
- Comparing marks with the cargo list
- Recording damaged, wet or unmarked units separately
- Reconciling running totals at the end of each shift
- Reconciling the final count with the list at completion
The exact scope is agreed at the quotation stage according to the nature of the operation.
Key checkpoints
- 01Count per lift
- The number of units in each lift is recorded individually; non-standard lifts with fewer or more units are noted.
- 02Marks and parcel matching
- Marks, lot or bill of lading numbers on the units are compared with the list, and units belonging to the wrong parcel are reported.
- 03Damaged units
- Torn bags, broken pallets, crushed cartons or wet bales are kept separate from the sound count and photographed where possible.
- 04Shift handover
- Running totals are compared at shift changes and records are handed over in full, so that no gaps or double counts occur.
- 05Cargo left on the quay
- At completion, units remaining on the quay or in the stacking area are counted separately and any short shipment or overloading is recorded.
How does the process work?
- 01
Obtaining the list
The loading list or manifest, together with the description and marking of the cargo units, is obtained.
- 02
Shift planning
Tally clerk shifts are planned according to the duration of the operation and the number of working hatches.
- 03
Counting
Every cargo unit is recorded during the operation, with damaged units noted separately.
- 04
Reconciliation
The total count is compared with the list and discrepancies are reported.
Information we need from you
- Loading list / manifest
- Description of cargo units (pallets, bales, cartons, etc.) and marking details
- Vessel, port and operation timing
- Working shifts and number of hatches to be worked
- Recipients of the tally results
Reporting
- Tally sheets
- Count summary and discrepancy list
- Damaged unit notes
Report content and format are agreed according to your request.
Key terms
- Tally sheet
- The counting form on which the number of units in each lift, marks and observations are recorded during loading or discharge.
- Cargo manifest
- A document listing all cargo on board by bill of lading; at the discharge port, tally results are compared against it.
- Over / short landed
- Cargo discharged in excess of (over) or below (short) the quantity shown on the manifest.
- Sling / Hook
- A group of cargo lifted by the crane in a single lift; tally records are usually kept per sling.
Frequently asked questions
What does a tally clerk do?
A tally clerk counts and records cargo units one by one during loading and discharge and notes damaged units. These records are used as a reference in quantity disputes.
What is the difference between a tally and a draft survey?
A tally is a unit count for counted cargo. A draft survey calculates the weight of bulk cargo from the vessel's draft.
Are night shifts covered?
Tally clerk shifts are planned around the working hours of the operation; the shift pattern is agreed at the quotation stage.
What happens if our count differs from the ship's tally?
Counts are compared with the other parties at the end of each shift and at completion. Differences are rechecked, and any that cannot be resolved are stated separately in the report.
Is a tally clerk assigned to each hatch?
A separate count is normally needed for each hatch or handling point working at the same time. The number of tally clerks is planned according to the intensity of the operation at the quotation stage.