Surveys are conducted on board ships by the Surveyors to gather information about the condition of the ship and its equipment. The surveys are in two parts – Preliminary and Final, the former being undertaken much more frequently than the latter. The purpose of this note is to describe the type of surveys that are carried out under each category and their frequency of occurrence.
Shipping companies in UAE are known to carry out two types of surveys, classified as statutory and voluntary surveys, according to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). However, some ship owners choose to carry out additional surveys or inspections. Below are described the five most common types of shipping surveys carried out on ships.
- Incident & Accident Survey
- Loss Prevention Survey
- Vessel Condition Survey
- Towing Survey & Approval
- Claim Survey
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INCIDENT & ACCIDENT SURVEY
Ever worked on a ship? If so, you know that any given day could be your last. In fact, there’s always the possibility of an accident happening on board. Whether it’s due to equipment malfunction or weather conditions, accidents can happen at any time and without warning. This is why all vessel owners must be aware of how to deal with an emergency situation and make sure their vessel is safe for seafaring.
Usually, ship accident surveyors incident surveys are carried out under the appointment of underwriters, P&I clubs, ship owners and other insurance to identify not only damage/loss of incidents on the hull, equipment and cargo but also to witness and supervise repairing, find the cause of the incident and create an estimate for loss/damage.
LOSS PREVENTION SURVEY
Loss prevention surveys are carried out to confirm that loading or unloading operation is done correctly and securely. The surveyor or inspector, who is a person specially trained in the use of the equipment, checks the cargo container’s seal, position on the vessel, securing devices and any other aspects which may need attention. The surveyor will then sign a report stating that loading or unloading has been carried out in accordance with international standards for safe transport.
VESSEL CONDITION SURVEY
The survey will typically determine the working or operational condition of equipment and management systems, including their certification status. In the present scenario, Survey forms may be provided by clients, particularly in the case of P&I clubs, and most of those who are part of the marine industry are familiar with many of these forms. Otherwise, companies maintain their own condition survey report template that can be tailored to suit the survey required and the vessel or barge type. During the pre-entry ship condition survey, the ship’s defects can be pointed out. The ship’s hull might show signs of heavy corrosion and more. Therefore, a ship’s condition survey inspects the safety equipment, main engine and other structures of the ship to find any damage and warn the vessel owners to take necessary actions.
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TOWAGE APPROVAL SURVEY
The towage Survey includes the inspection of the towing vessel and the towed vessel prior to the towing operation. The most common situations are when the ship encounters a mechanical failure or needs to be towed to a certain place for disassembly. Vessel owners apply for a towage approval survey in cases, where particular circumstances or factors signify an increased risk to the tow, or where the risk cannot be evaluated on the basis of seafaring and nautical knowledge and experience alone.
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CLAIM SURVEY
Claim surveys are to determine the estimated damage or loss at the site in comparison with the insured’s claim on the basis of the validity of the insurance policy and others. There are many maritime companies that offer claim surveys in which they investigate and survey the damage caused to the insured vessel or shipment. Claim surveys help to identify the root cause of the damage or loss. After finding the potential causes, the extent of damage is recorded and a damage limitation plan is presented for cargo and vessel as well. This is documentation is done to determine the cause and extent of damage, recommend repairs and estimate the repair cost.