Independence and competence
Survey service of the transport process
Source: V.I. Snopkov; Magazine “Dangerous Goods and Containers” No. 5-6 2008
Supervision, technical supervision, confirmation, compliance, certification, classification, inspection, certification, expert services, survey services - all these terms refer to assessing the compliance of a particular object with the requirements of laws, conventions, technical regulations, standards or simply customer requirements. Such work is performed by various categories of officials, experts and simply specialists. In accordance with the Russian law on technical regulation, supervision can only be carried out by representatives of federal authorities, free of charge, and all other types of work are performed by companies, organizations and individuals in the form of a service that is provided to the client. From the list of works presented above, survey services are distinguished, which are based on an assessment of the technical condition of a particular object, independent of the state and the direct influence of business, and, first of all, the assessment of vehicles, transport equipment and cargo related to the maritime industry.
IN AND. Snopkov
President of the Association of Independent Surveyors
The activities of survey companies differ from the activities of classification societies primarily in that classification societies carry out technical supervision (survey of an object) for compliance with their rules or for compliance with the international Convention on behalf of the governments of the contracting parties. Survey companies carry out surveys of objects in order to confirm their compliance with the stated requirements of the customer or ascertain the fact of technical condition at the time of inspection. At the same time, the surveyor often draws conclusions based on his personal experience and practice.
The activities of professional surveyors are not only useful, but in practice they become an integral part of the transport process. It is independent surveyors who can evaluate this or that equipment, vehicle or object, and can give an opinion or recommendations to the cargo owner or shipowner, which in the future can serve to reduce the risk of possible accidents or incidents.
There is fierce competition in the field of survey services, so a survey company that calls itself an independent organization must not only provide services professionally and competently, but also adhere to ethical conduct in business.
This article, authored by one of the founders of survey activity in Russia, professor, doctor of technical sciences, president of the Association of Independent Surveyors, author of books and scientific works devoted to the operation of the fleet, Vasily Ilyich Snopkov, talks about the origins of survey activity, its formation, development and the basic principles of work of surveyors.
This year is an anniversary for Vasily Ilyich, and the editors of the magazine sincerely congratulate him on this significant event. We wish him all the best and hope that Vasily Ilyich will continue to continue his activities for the benefit of safety and pass on his valuable experience to the new generation of surveyors.
In the early 90s, a new form of services arose and became widespread in Russia and the CIS countries - independent examination, which in International Maritime Shipping is called “independent survey activity”.
The emergence of a market for survey services is due to the very nature of maritime shipping. The maritime fleet serves mainly international trade, in the daily activities of whose participants there are constantly clashes of various interests, therefore it is in this area of human activity that there is an urgent need for surveyor (expert) services. Survey activity was widely developed in connection with the organization of classification maritime registers (Lloyd, 1688) and insurance companies, and then at the end of the 19th century another direction of this activity began to develop - control of the quality and quantity of transported cargo.
Currently, there are several types of controls in the field of international maritime shipping:
- international;
- departmental;
- independent;
The activities of each type of control are based on the appropriate regulatory framework adopted respectively at the international, state or departmental level and the corresponding higher levels. Thus, in international maritime transport, control is carried out on the basis of International Conventions and IMO resolutions, international standards and international law. Examples include the SOLAS Convention and the MARPOL Convention. The requirements of these conventions in ports are mandatory for ships of all countries, and control is carried out by inspectors of the Paris and Tokyo Memorandums and the services of the Harbor Master.
State inspectorates exercise control on behalf of the state. This control is carried out by officials of various departments: bailiffs, prosecutorial supervision, emigration authorities, sanitary and veterinary supervision services, port captain services, etc. However, they are obliged to take into account all international requirements in their activities.
Considering that where there is movement between states of a large number of vehicles and goods, and therefore there is always scope for such negative phenomena as smuggling, drug trafficking, illegal movement of people, these types of control are of great importance for any state.
Departmental control is carried out by the apparatus of the Ministry of Transport or shipping services on the basis of departmental orders, instructions and regulations, taking into account all international and national laws and conventions.
Independent control is carried out by surveyors of independent companies engaged in survey activities in transport and other areas of production. The emergence and existence of independent expertise is explained by the specifics of the relationship between individuals and legal entities entering into contractual relations. This is of great importance in transport and international trade, where about six billion tons of cargo are currently transported in difficult climatic conditions per year.
Transport in the economy plays the role of a transit gear in a gearbox - it produces nothing, while consuming resources, but the mechanism cannot work without it. The production of any product makes sense only if it can be delivered to the consumer. And the problem is not only that the manufactured products increase the cost, but also that the quality and quantity of products at the end of transportation do not always remain unchanged compared to its beginning, which entails losses and extra costs . And since the transport process is a multifactorial process, the question becomes particularly relevant: which factor influences the product, to what extent and why? In other words, at what stage of transportation and for what reason does the quality of the goods decrease and their quantity is lost? And this is where the institute of independent surveyors comes into the picture.
The Soviet Union never had the institution of independent surveyors, since the state ideology did not allow any form of independence; this was impossible by definition. At the present stage of development and establishment of market relations in Russia, in a number of cases there is a need to clarify the term.
The word "surveyor" comes from the English word survey - observation; review; inspection; examination; examination; examination; inspection; shooting; measurement; filming service; inspect; examine, examine; check; inspect; take photographs (measurements); measuring; hydrographic;
Carry out (conduct) ... - take a survey (measurement); control ... - bind measuring lines; execute (run)… - take a survey (measurement); … for classification – classification survey (of a ship); ... of repairs - examination after repair; supervision of repairs; acceptance…-inspection before acceptance; annual... - annual survey; basic hydrographic... - systematic sounding; bottom ... - inspection (survey) of the underwater part (vessel hull).
Therefore, a surveyor is a person who does this job. The surveyor establishes the fact itself, the nature and condition of the object at the time of inspection, as well as the extent of damage, guided by the principle: “What I see is what I write. I won’t write what I don’t see.” In Russian, the equivalent concept is the word “expert”.
The Institute of Surveyors operates in the system of transporting goods from the sender to the recipient through all links of the transport process. Generally speaking, the surveyor's routine functions come down to establishing the fact, size and nature of damage to anything, or its absence, as well as determining the quality and quantity of goods, their compliance with contractual and transportation conditions and providing written evidence of all this signed by him . In some cases, it is necessary to establish the cause of an incident and restore the picture of events. This is another, higher level, which is in the nature of scientific research or design development and is called examination. For this purpose, highly qualified specialists are needed.
Since the transport process consists of separate links: sender - recipient carrier and related structures involved at different stages: charterers-forwarders, insurer, transshipment systems and storage facilities, hydraulic structures, then at different stages there is a need to evaluate the cargo transportation process as a whole or individual its aspects by an independent party.
Since on sea vessels cargo is collected in one place in large quantities (thousands of tons) in a limited space (for example, in the hold) and under conditions of alternating mechanical (vibration, pitching) and thermodynamic (temperature and humidity changes) loads, it behaves differently, than under other circumstances. For example, ore can separate moisture and seem to float on it (thixotropy), coal, cake, cotton, scrap metal can ignite spontaneously, liquid cargo accumulate kilovolts of static electricity, peas develop pressure sufficient to rupture a ship, etc. Taking these circumstances into account You can imagine not only the probability of financial losses, but also their size.
This is why international judicial and arbitration practice, as well as Western insurance companies, have long and necessarily used the services of independent surveyors, since surveyors are not interested in either exaggerating or minimizing possible losses due to their independence.
Unfortunately, in Soviet times, the absence of private property gave rise to a specific mentality of society in general and cargo producers in particular, which boils down to an indifferent attitude towards production extra costs. Private entrepreneurship, which has recently emerged, unfortunately, has not yet grasped all the nuances of market business and often suffers losses that could have been avoided or, at least, significantly reduced. And although this happens not out of conviction, but simply out of ignorance of this process, this does not change the essence of the matter. And it happens that often the blame for the resulting losses is placed not on the one who is really guilty, but on the one who was found to have a decrease in the quality of the goods. This is, as a rule, the carrier, who incurs significant losses, although the real reason for the decline in the quality of the goods may be located in a completely different place: in contractual conditions, force majeure, production technology, cargo transportability, etc. Participation of an independent surveyor allows us to significantly reduce the burden of responsibility of the carrier and establish not only the source of financial losses, but also the stage at which they occurred.
Mineral analysis. The Minerals Analysis Group provides sampling and geochemical analysis of minerals, fertilizers and coal for leading mining and exploration companies around the world, made possible by an extensive network of dedicated laboratories located throughout the Americas, Africa and Southeast Asia.
Analysis of environmental pollution. A network of environmental laboratories provides industry and government agencies around the world with officially protected, comprehensive analytical data on various aspects of environmental protection. Services provided by this ITS sector include sampling and analysis of air, water, soil, various substances, as well as analysis of industrial hygiene, biotoxicity and industrial waste.
Maintenance and supply quality assurance. Many of the world's manufacturing companies provide a full range of services related to technical maintenance and quality assurance. The interests of clients are very diverse - automation, electronics, computer technology, communications and consumer goods.
The opinion of an independent surveyor plays a particularly important role during consideration in court or arbitration in the West and in Western insurance companies. Without such an independent conclusion, no arguments from the outside will simply have evidence, and the case is lost. It is very important to correctly understand the concept of “independence”. A surveyor or survey company is considered independent if it does not belong to any state organization or enterprise, and also if the state does not have a stake in the authorized capital of the company.
Currently, due to a misconception about this concept, Russia has developed the practice of forming survey organizations at government institutions, for example, in research institutes and other institutions. And if arbitration or a court in Russia can still accept the conclusions of such surveyors for consideration, then foreign claims practice does not consider such surveyors to be independent due to their state affiliation and, therefore, their lobbying of state or national interests. The loss of independence is also the work in the same transport process for more than one of the parties to this process or trade transaction. This is only possible with the knowledge and consent of the participants during a general inspection. For example, on the same flight you cannot work for the sender and the recipient, or for the carrier and the sender, etc., since in the event of a conflict of interests, the surveyor will have to sacrifice the interests of one of the parties. It is a very common practice in our country when, for example, an agency or forwarding company is also a surveyor, or an insurance company sends a surveyor who is on the staff of this company. In world practice this is not accepted. Foreign insurance companies, for example, each engage in only one type of insurance out of all possible, in contrast to domestic ones, which simultaneously insure liability, risks, and property. For example, P&I Clubs only insure liability to third parties.
In the process of settling claims, the image of the survey company plays a very important role, which consists of the accuracy of calculations, the weight of the argumentation of the evidence, the sufficiency of the information presented, compliance with the principle of independence, and compliance with business ethics.
According to the International Quality Standards ISO 900I-9004, the personnel of any Company must, first of all, be professionally competent. In global judicial and arbitration practice, professional competence is understood as the presence of knowledge, skill, discipline and integrity. In this case, knowledge is understood as having a basic education in the field of merchant shipping and the cargo transportation process.
Since nature abhors a vacuum, the unoccupied niche at the beginning of the formation of the market began to be immediately filled by foreign survey companies, since the market consciousness of young Russian entrepreneurship did not feel the usefulness of the surveyor institute for itself, and command and administrative stereotypes in the thinking of government structures did not understand the usefulness of this institution for the state . In order to support domestic survey companies, the Association of Independent Marine and River Surveyors was created, later renamed the Association of Independent Surveyors (ANS). Members of the Association are survey companies that have the status of legal entities. Members of the Association carry out work in the CIS countries. Over the nine-year period of activity, the members of the ANS have fully mastered the methods of foreign survey companies and developed their own national rules for conducting examinations, which take into account national legislation and the national characteristics of the countries where they operate. Currently, the network of laboratories that work according to ISO, ASTM, IP, DIN standards and cooperate with ANS is expanding.
Entering the market in the CIS was not easy, since Ingosstrakh and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry, being state-owned enterprises, tried to be monopolists in the domestic market, which contributed to the promotion or creation of favorable conditions for foreign survey companies, and, consequently, the drain of national resources abroad .
For this reason, it is necessary to introduce the activities of independent survey (inspection) companies into the legislative field of Russia, as the State Duma did in the Regulation on Valuation Activities No. 135-FZ of July 29, 1998 and defined the status of an independent appraiser: “The assessment of the object of assessment cannot be carried out by an appraiser if he is a founder, owner, shareholder or official of a legal entity, or a customer or an individual who has a property interest in the object of assessment, or is closely related or related to these persons.”
The image of any survey company is formed in the process of work and settlement of claims from knowledge of the regulatory framework, security of calculations, weight of arguments and evidence, a sufficient number of evidence presented, compliance with the principles of independence and business ethics.
The main regulatory framework and requirements for surveyors used by ANS were developed on the basis of documents adopted in international trade and multimodal transport. This is explained by the fact that surveyor activity first originated in these structures and over time established itself as an integral link in the system of market relations.
In addition to the above regulatory framework, in the field of multimodal transportation there are Instructions and Rules inherent in various types of transport and also used by independent surveyors. The basic principles for the work of surveyors were developed within the Association of Independent Surveyors and published in the Code of Independent Surveyors. Currently at the State Maritime Academy named after. Admiral S. O. Makarov annually trains special groups of surveyors according to programs approved by the Ministry of Higher Education of the Russian Federation and published the “Guide to conducting survey work in transport,” which is an official textbook for training specialists, author V. I. Snopkov, publishing house “ Professional".
Inspecting ships and cargo and giving an opinion on their condition, the extent of damage in accidents, the seaworthiness of the vessel, etc. S. may be invited by the shipowner, charterer, cargo owner, insurance and classification society. S., inspecting the insured objects, must have the necessary knowledge and experience to competently formalize the inspection or draw up an emergency certificate, bearing in mind that these documents form the basis for resolving possible legal disputes or are related to the payment of losses.
Large legal dictionary. - M.: Infra-M. A. Ya. Sukharev, V. E. Krutskikh, A. Ya. Sukharev. 2003 .
Synonyms:See what "SURVEYOR" is in other dictionaries:
An inspector or agent of the insurer who inspects property accepted for insurance. Based on the surveyor's conclusion, the insurer makes a decision on concluding an insurance contract. In foreign practice, the surveyor is... ... Financial Dictionary
English surveyor appraiser, expert, inspector, agent of the insurer, inspecting the object, property accepted for insurance. Based on the conclusion of S., the insurer makes a decision on property insurance by drawing up an appropriate agreement... Dictionary of business terms
Noun, number of synonyms: 5 inspector (26) appraiser (22) surveyor (5) ... Synonym dictionary
- (English surveyor) an expert who, at the request of the policyholder or insurer, inspects insured or subject to insurance ships and cargo. Raizberg B.A., Lozovsky L.Sh., Starodubtseva E.B.. Modern economic dictionary. 2nd ed., revised... Economic dictionary
Surveyor- a company that specializes in verifying property accepted or pledged to the bank as security for the borrower to fulfill his obligations under the loan. It assesses the quality of the collateral, checks the rights... ... Banking Encyclopedia
Surveyor- (English surveyor) a person with special knowledge whose duties include inspecting insured or subject to insurance ships and cargo. S. gives an opinion on the condition of the vessel, its seaworthiness, cargo, damage in the event of an accident... Encyclopedia of Law
To improve this article, would you like to: Wikify the article. Add to the article (the article is too short or contains only a dictionary definition) ... Wikipedia
- (English surveyor) sea. inspector of foreign classification societies for technical supervision of ships. New dictionary of foreign words. by EdwART, 2009. surveyor [eng. surveyor] – sea. inspector of foreign classification societies for... ... Dictionary of foreign words of the Russian language
- (English, surveyor) 1) an expert who, at the request of the policyholder or insurer, inspects insured or insured ships and cargoes and has the right to give a qualified opinion on their condition, the amount of damage when ... ... Encyclopedic Dictionary of Economics and Law
Surveyor is a word that not every Russian entrepreneur knows. We can say that in Russian it is synonymous with the word “expert”. The Institute of Surveyors has long been functioning in the system of trade, commodity production and transportation of goods from sender to addressee. Moreover, this process goes through all links of the transport chain. Survey services are the establishment of the fact, nature and extent of damage to cargo, as well as determining the quantity and their compliance with transportation or contractual conditions. In some cases, the expert is required to establish the circumstances of the incident and restore a complete picture of the events.
Work specifics
The transport process is a chain consisting of numerous links. In addition to the main three - recipient, carrier and sender, it also includes a number of additional ones - storage, forwarding agents, charterer, insurer, commodity producer. The need to assess the transportation of goods may arise at any stage of transportation. And it very often happens that it is not the guilty participant in the process who bears the penalty for losses. Survey services exist to identify those responsible for losses. This is a series of actions carried out by an independent expert in order to establish both the source of monetary losses and the reasons for the occurrence of this event.
History of appearance
Abroad, insurance companies, as well as arbitration and judicial practice, have long been using the services of surveyors. Moreover, it is imperative that they be independent and cannot minimize or exaggerate possible losses.
Most likely, survey services would never have appeared in our country. This was an initiative of foreign partners whose interests collided with Russian ones on the maritime borders. The first domestic survey company spent several years proving its right to exist. For a very long time, Russian manufacturers and traders could not understand the importance of such services. Understanding of their importance came with an analysis of the first precedents in foreign courts. Then it became clear that in order to win the case it was necessary to support one’s own arguments with some evidence.
Draft survey
All participants in the transport process especially emphasize the importance of determining the quantity of cargo. Packaged piece cargo is easy to count, but with mass cargo there is a problem. Weighing containers, cars, wagons, etc. on special scales requires a lot of time and significant labor costs. In each weighing, there is a high probability of errors, which accumulate over time, providing unscrupulous participants in the transaction with the opportunity to deceive. To ensure the integrity of such operations, the provision of survey services is required.
There is technology that allows you to eliminate fraud when weighing. It's called "draft survey". Its meaning is that the ship itself is weighed before and after loading. In this case, the weight of the cargo is determined with an accuracy of 0.1 percent.
Cargo safety
This is one of the most common reasons why participants in the transport process enter into a survey services agreement. To avoid access to cargo, you need to install seals on trailers, containers, holds, etc. But it is not so much the presence of fillings that is important, but the correctness of their placement. And only an independent surveyor can professionally perform this procedure. At the final stage of cargo delivery, he will personally verify the safety of the seals.
Certification
In many companies, this procedure is included in survey services. This is receiving a signed certificate from an expert, in which he certifies that, for example, the cargo is secured and stowed in accordance with international standards. Therefore, it is completely safe for the ship and will not be damaged during sea transportation. All this is done both in the interests of the insurer (or cargo owner) in order to avoid exorbitant expenses, and in the interests of the cargo carrier to relieve liability for the integrity of the cargo.
A survey is an inspection of something.
In the past, this procedure applied only to sea vessels, but today it has spread to all types of transport. The inspection is carried out by a surveyor - an independent technical expert. In particular, the vessel is inspected to ensure its compliance with international standards and readiness for the safe transportation of cargo.
Today there are companies specializing in providing survey services, which include the entire transport process, including monitoring the safety of cargo.
Typically, survey services are provided at or near ports. Today, cargo inspection is a necessary measure to insure the shipper against loss or damage to the cargo. Surveyors carry out all the necessary measurements and calculations, carry out photo and video surveillance, and provide documentary support for the process.
In the event of a conflict, surveyors from different companies, as well as insurers, meet together and look for options to resolve the problem.
Today, each surveyor works independently. He prepares a report for his client, which describes the sequence of events he witnessed and also provides an analysis of the situation. All necessary documents are attached to the report. Thus, the surveyor acts as an independent witness, recording the situation and providing all important information in the event of a conflict.
STEVEDORE- (English, stevedore) specialized organizations involved in loading and unloading ships; a representative of a stevedoring organization who monitors the loading and unloading of ships.
SURVEYOR- (English, surveyer) an independent expert who, at the request of the policyholder or insurer, inspects insured or subject to insurance ships and cargo.
SURVEY RIPOT- (English, survey report) a written report or report drawn up by a surveyor at the request of the policyholder or insurer. The report contains information about the risks preceding the conclusion of an insurance contract. The insurer may refuse to enter into a contract with a potential policyholder if it is clear from the surveyor's report that the declared insurable interest is speculative in nature and does not meet the principle of the highest good faith. The survey report is attached to the policyholder's application.
TALMAN- a person who counts goods during loading and unloading on a ship. Typically, T.'s services are resorted to when accepting and delivering cargo transported on a package count. In large foreign ports there are organizations of sworn counters. Based on cargo accounting documents, claims and lawsuits regarding cargo shortages are analyzed.
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Survey. Basic principles
Survey is an examination or inspection of something. Most often, in the past, this applied only to seagoing vessels.
Surveyor, i.e. technical expert, a representative of one of the classification societies where the vessel was supposed to be registered (in our country - the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping, in the west - Lloyd's Register, Det Norske Veritas, Germanisher Lloyd, etc.), carried out an inspection to determine whether this vessel can be used for its intended purpose and whether it is ready for safe transportation of cargo by sea. After which the ship was registered and received the appropriate documents confirming its compliance with both national and international standards for its construction and safe use.
Over the years, the concept of Survey has expanded, companies uniting independent surveyors. The field of activity of modern surveyors is the entire transport process of delivering cargo to its destination, monitoring the safety of cargo at all stages of the journey, including transshipment to various vehicles, as well as the vehicles themselves involved in the process.
Often all this happens in or near orts, or is somehow connected with the sea and ships. That's why today A surveyor is an expert, who, as a rule, has a technical education. In addition, in case of a conflict or emergency situation, the client often turns to lawyers for support. But you need to be well aware of the following point: not a single serious court will even accept the claim of any of the parties if this party was not called to the scene of the incident independent expert, and there are no documents confirming this. After all, what can happen to the Cargo during its transportation, transshipment, storage, as well as to the Vehicles themselves involved in the process, cannot be assessed technically correctly even by the most competent lawyer. Unless this lawyer, of course, has a diploma of higher technical education and relevant work experience, which is already a rare exception to the rule. All this must be well understood by any potential Client.
More and more foreigners and their Insurers are appearing on our market. Correctly building a defense process, competently rejecting other people's claims and reasonably presenting your own - all this is possible only with the participation of independent experts.
Survey services - what are they?
Surveyors carry out the necessary measurements and calculations, photo and video surveillance (if required), collect relevant documents and advise the Client on what steps to take so that the situation is brought under control and possible losses are minimal.
When the issue is resolved in a civilized manner, several surveyors from different companies often meet at the scene at the same time. They represent all sides of the conflict. These can be experts from the Carrier, the Sender, the Recipient, the Port, as well as from all Insurers of the parties involved.
Each surveyor works independently and issues a Report for his Client, in which he notes the sequential development of events that he personally witnessed, and also analyzes the current situation, attaching all the necessary documents to the Report. The surveyor is not an investigator and is not involved in finding the culprits or returning lost funds. A surveyor is, first of all, an independent witness and a competent specialist. He records the situation, makes the necessary calculations and assessments and collects the relevant documents. All data collected is carefully checked by the Surveyor, as far as circumstances permit and required by the Client. After this, having the maximum possible information on hand, the Surveyor conducts the necessary analysis of the situation and enters all this into a Report, which is transferred to the Customer. We always help our Client, together with his trusted lawyer, resolve a controversial situation with minimal losses for him under the current legislation. This allows our specialists to work representing either side of the dispute, and sometimes to do so simultaneously. For example, representing two parties involved in the same dispute.
One of the activities of Advance Shipping Group of Companies is survey services. A representative of this profession, a surveyor is an independent expert, a specialist who has the right to carry out a high-quality inspection of cargo. Survey companies in St. Petersburg mean quality and guarantees of work.
Why is it beneficial to use the services of a surveyor?
An independent surveyor is a highly professional inspector who, in the course of his activities, forms an objective idea of how all stages of cargo delivery actually took place. Its main task is technical control of the quantity and quality of cargo during its transportation. Logistics centers and warehouses, loading and unloading of goods are under the supervision of a specialist.
Already today, the provision of survey services takes on a special meaning. International companies work taking into account and based on the objective results of control inspections carried out by an expert surveyor.
What issues can he help with?
- The surveyor will make an accurate count of the goods.
- It will provide complete control when loading and unloading goods.
- Surveyor services include control of cargo weighing at the starting and ending points of transportation.
- The specialist will carefully check the cargo packaging for damage.
- He will monitor the sealing of the cargo and the reliability of its fastening during transportation.
- Survey services also include checking the vehicle itself, which is used to deliver the goods to the destination.
During all control processes, photos and videos are taken, which eliminates the possibility of any unforeseen incidents. At the end of the inspection, a report is drawn up, which, if necessary, is reviewed by insurance and international companies. Survey services fully guarantee that in the event of an extreme situation, all losses will fall on the shoulders of the real culprit, and not just the carrier.
What does a marine surveyor check?
A marine surveyor is responsible for checking all ship documentation. This is a certificate of ownership, ship's log, sanitary documents and licenses.
Survey services
By carefully studying the list of crew members, the port surveyor checks the documents required by international agreements.
Inspecting the technical equipment of the ship, the marine surveyor checks how the bridge is equipped, how the emergency signaling, communications and navigation work. He is also responsible for checking all fire extinguishing systems, emergency exits, and life-saving protective equipment. The condition of the vessel is studied with special care, including not only the hull of the ship, but also all the equipment placed on it.
While controlling the cargo loading process, the port surveyor takes special measurements to prevent unpleasant incidents during transportation. Measurements are taken according to the following parameters: bow, stern, midsection. This process is called draft survey, it gives readings much more accurately than ordinary weighing.
Typically, survey companies themselves set the payment for their specialist, but, in general, the provision of survey services is a certain percentage of the cost of cargo transportation. When ordering a service, you need to understand that survey companies hire only highly qualified specialists, which means that the service will be provided as efficiently as possible.
A surveyor is an emergency commissioner appointed by the insurance company. When an insured event occurs, the surveyor investigates the circumstances and determines the extent of damage to the insured property.
Who is a surveyor?
This is necessary in order to quickly pay out the insurance compensation. Survey services are also used in cases where the insured event did not occur. Let's take a closer look at each of the two cases.
The insured event did not occur
Survey services are provided before departure:
· Cargo
It is important to check the condition of the cargo before transportation takes place to avoid claims after delivery. After all, we cannot exclude cases of manufacturing defects, underloading, sending goods in improper form, etc. Having in hand a survey report indicating the safety of the transportation, you can easily prove the proper performance of the work by your company.
· Vehicle
It is necessary to check the driving performance, external and internal appearance, as well as the technical side of the vehicle, before transporting the vehicle in order to avoid claims after its delivery.
With a survey report in hand, you can easily prove that your company has performed the work properly.
The insured event occurred
If an insured event occurs, the survey company will provide the following types of services:
· Description of damage without material assessment of losses.
In this case, the insurer will take over further management of the case and decide on the involvement of expert organizations;
· Description of the damage, its material assessment and involvement of expert organizations;
· A description of the damage with any type of assessment and the right to enter into an insurance agreement on mutual fixation of the degree of depreciation on behalf of the insurance company.
In this case, the surveyor will find a compromise with the insurance company regarding the amount of damage caused. In turn, the insurance company will be obliged to pay compensation equal to the amount of the markdown.
A survey report can be prepared without visiting the inspection site in the following cases:
· The shipment was lost;
· The documents provided confirm the existence of an insured event.
In this case, the Customer submits the relevant documents to the surveyor, on which a report is drawn up. The provided documents are checked for authenticity, correctness of preparation and state laws regarding the destination of the cargo.
Survey activities
Survey activity originated in the structures of international trade and over time established itself as an integral link in the system of market relations.
Surveying (survey activities)– activities aimed at preserving the amount of material assets when moving goods by any means of transport during warehousing and reducing losses.
Survey services: everything according to the contract - both drawing and color
In international practice, the institute of independent surveyors functions in the system of transporting goods from the sender to the recipient through all links of the transport process.
The main factor that connects the participants in the transport process is the fact that they are all interested in ensuring that, if necessary and if any conflicts arise, the fact of the incident is promptly recorded and a report is drawn up by a qualified specialist - a “surveyor”.
The purposes of drawing up such an act - a survey report are: determining the degree of damage or loss, studying the nature and establishing the possible causes of the incident.
Thus, a surveyor is an expert who, at the request of the insured or insurer, inspects insured or insured ships and cargo.
Cargo survey services are carried out at the request of the consignor, consignee, cargo carrier or insurance companies with the execution of acts of a claim nature in courts and arbitration courts.
When working at the request of insurance companies, the volume, nature and cost of losses resulting from damage to cargo are determined.
One of the many services of the survey service is recording the condition of the cargo. When making a determination, the surveyor issues a Certificate signed by him, in which he certifies, for example, that the condition of the cargo accepted for transportation complies with the requirements of the contract or agreement, the packaging complies with the requirements of the documentation, the cargo is correctly secured and will not be damaged during transportation. This is done both in the interests of the carrier, in order to be released from liability for damage to the cargo, and in the interests of the cargo owner or insurer. The suitability of cargo vehicles for receiving cargo is also monitored for their technical serviceability and the possibility of transporting goods in these vehicles, for the absence of foreign odors and residues of the previous cargo, and their tightness.
In modern practice, Russian entrepreneurs have increasingly begun to use survey services. However, many of our businessmen have the vaguest idea of what exactly the people who provide them do. Let's look at this question in more detail.
Who is a surveyor
If we turn to our “great and mighty”, then the word expert will be close in meaning. So, a surveyor is a person who can understand something professionally? Yes it is.
Representatives of this profession conduct a detailed, objective, and most importantly, independent analysis of all the circumstances of the case, so that they can subsequently determine whether this or that fact actually occurred. Also, at the initiative of individuals and legal entities, they prepare recommendations in licensed areas of activity.
A little history
During the era of the dominance of the communist system, the following structures were vested with the powers of surveyors: Institute of Expert Councils at the Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Chamber of Commerce and Industry), Soyuzexpertiza.
With the collapse of the USSR, the above institutions gradually ceased to perform an expert function.
The first survey organizations after the “victory of democracy” in the country were formed at the end of the 2000s. Moreover, this happened in large cities with seaports. At that time, the competence of experts was limited to the investigation of insurance claims in water transport. Currently, a surveyor is a professional in all areas of insurance.
Often, expert institutions today are created under various ministries, departments, and research institutes.
It should be noted that today survey organizations successfully operate in many large cities of Russia: Moscow, St. Petersburg, Vladivostok and others.
The principle of independence is paramount
In his work, a surveyor must be guided by the principle of independence. In other words, no expert institution should be controlled by government agencies. Unfortunately, in Russian practice the opposite happens, which is why foreign courts sometimes do not accept reports prepared by our surveyors as evidence.
Responsibilities
First of all, a surveyor is an expert in analyzing and verifying the circumstances of insured events, such as loss, personal injury, flood, fire, and so on. He coordinates the process (organizes the rescue of people, calls specialists, records existing damage). In addition, the surveyor is the main consultant, whose opinion should be listened to by the owners of sea vessels and those who manage them. However, this is not the entire list of job responsibilities that an expert performs. He collects evidence to establish the causes of disasters and accidents, studies ship records, examines divers' reports, interviews witnesses, and checks weather reports. And at the final stage of the work, the expert sits down to write a report.
Surveyor services also include the issuance of cargo certificates. This is a document that confirms that the cargo is stowed and secured in the holds properly, which means that it will reach its destination safe and sound, without causing any damage to the vehicle.
The legislative framework needs serious improvement
Unfortunately, the activities of survey organizations are not fully regulated at the legislative level. Subjects of civil rights are guided exclusively by departmental regulations.
Of course, an insurance surveyor creates some competition, but in the domestic market there is no rule that would oblige market participants to resort to the services of the above experts. If you want, invite him, but if you want, not. As they say, the matter is voluntary. In case of problems with cargo transportation, ship owners often do not need any expert. Insurance in our country is still poorly developed, so they prefer to resolve the conflict on their own.
Unfortunately, in practice, a surveyor acts as an ordinary intermediary who performs work that is not typical for him: he is a consultant, a provider, an appraiser, an insurer, and a tour operator.
However, this is gradually developing in our country, and surveyor services are in increasing demand in the business environment.
