STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE (SOP) FOR MARITIME/CARGO SURVEYORS IN THE PORTS (SEAPORTS OR AIRPORTS)
The Guild of Marine Surveyors (GMS) of Nigeria is the umbrella body for Marine/Maritime Cargo Surveyors, Insurance Surveyors, Cargo Superintendents and Maritime Consultants/Experts in Nigeria. We are rendering our professional services to the Port Authorities, Terminal Operators, Government Agencies, Shippers Councils, Government Bodies, Marine Underwriters, the NCDMB, the Shippers, Importers, Carriers, Ship Owners, P & I Clubs, Legal Industry, Banks, Freight Forwarders, Insurance Firms etc. We are serving the interest of our economy, economies of our principals and the world at large. Our Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) was launched, among other professional bodies operating in Nigerian Ports on the 23rd of June, 2016 by His Excellency, Professor Yemi Osinbajo GCON (The Vice President of The Federal Republic of Nigeria) who was the Special Guest of Honour with the Honourable Minister of Transport Rt. Hon. Chibuike Amechi, CON who was the Host at LADI KWALI HALL SHERATON HOTEL, ABUJA. We were ably represented in the ceremony by our (now late) Former President Mr. M.C Ogadin and the then Vice President (Mr. Young E. Chukwuma).
OPERATIONAL GUIDELINE AND SOP FOR MARITIME/AVIATION CARGO SURVEYORS IN THE PORTS (SEAPORTS OR AIRPORTS):
Generally the functions of Marine/Cargo Surveyors is to determine the condition and quantity, in the handling chain of cargoes transported from port of origin or export to Nigeria. These include Shipping Company, Stevedoring Companies, Terminal Operators, Inspection Agencies, Freight Forwarders, Underwriters, Banks, Government Agencies, Ministry, Clearing Agents and other Stakeholders. The general terms of services are as follows:
- Board the vessel to check ship’s documents and cargo tally sheet including manifest, to determine the vessel’s Expected Time of Arrival (ETA) and berth time.
- Board the vessel after free pratique has been granted or berthed across the Airport Terminal to identify the cargo to be inspected.
- Receive documents such as Bill of Lading and duly certified shipping instructions/specifications, test certificates, invoices, and any information that may help in tallying cargoes.
- Board the vessel again before and during discharge operation, and maintain survey checks for quantity tallying, leak proof ullage reports and other documents, as relevant for the cargo in question.
- Attend to discharge process and monitor from F.O.B to in-shore warehouse tally.
- Ascertain the cargo quantity discharged and out-turned cargo tally.
- Observe and report any incident that could negatively affect the interest of surveyor’s principals.
- Verify and reconcile quantities physically ascertained at the point of discharge, loading or at any survey operation.
- Document and report a true survey report from all cargo surveys including shipment and calculations as witnessed by the independent Surveyor and to be recorded by all parties in attendance.
- Make comments updated on the operations as principal highlighting problems, incident or claims, if any, throughout the entire process.
- Evaluate the effectiveness of the services and performance, concerning the cargo consignment under survey, including damage/losses, contamination, wetting, wrong declarations, remarks in the Bill of Lading and/or mate receipt, short landing cargoes and timing of discharge operations.
- Issue formal and unprejudiced independent survey report to Clients/Principals, which shall include all cargo quantities, operational time logs and cargo damages, shortages, contamination, wetting, etc., and possible reasons/causes that might be ascertained.
- Issue invoice to concerned parties responsible for payment under the Surveyor Services per scope of work executed/covered.
- Submit the hardback of all discharge and loading operation record in the office for reference.
- Perform other functions that can further add value to all concerned parties in any transaction.
LIMITATIONS OF OUR OPERATIONS IN PORTS
Our members are limited to survey or inspection activities within which they are legally appointed to carry out. Cargo Agents and other bodies (even Customs and some NPA units) must work within the limits of their shipping permit, handling and specific instructions received.
OPERATIONAL PROCEDURE OF OUR SERVICES (PLACE, FLOW AND TIME FRAME)
A professional marine survey inspection is needed to protect the interest of all parties in the operation of ship-related cargo, transportation, freight forwarding.
PLACE:
The location of inspection is determined by the type and scope of inspection to be carried out. Some locations are: On-Board, Onshore Terminal, Jetty, Airport Warehouse, etc. Inspection should be determined and agreed upon by the requesting principal. All relevant stakeholders must be in attendance and in agreement. Prior to inspection, all instructions must be documented including the purpose of inspection and completion notice, and scope of engagement must be well known to the parties involved.
FLOW:
Every cargo inspection or survey (except inspection that is dependent on the type of cargo transported by ship or aircraft) must be done as cargo survey or shipment inspection or insurance survey or claim verification survey.
TIME FRAME:
This is dependent on the type of assignment because it may be perishable, bulk, dangerous, dry cargo, wet cargo, containerised, etc. Every inspection is to be guided by the international and local inspection laws and professional standards and ethics of Guild in relation to the cargo in question.
By, Young E. Chukwuma (Former Vice-President, GMS)
For, the Guild of Marine Surveyors
