A cargo loading survey is attendance by a surveyor during the loading of a ship, from preparation of the spaces to the final securing and documentation. It can be ordered by the shipper, a charterer, the carrier, a P&I club or a cargo insurer, each of whom may have a slightly different aim.
Before the first lift or flow, the surveyor inspects the holds or tanks. The question is whether they are clean, dry, free of odours and residues, and suited to the cargo, and whether hatch covers, bilge systems and ventilation work. This establishes that the carrier has done what is required before loading.
During loading, they watch the cargo as it comes aboard. For packaged and breakbulk goods, that means looking for visible damage, wet or rusted packaging, torn bags, and marking mismatches with the shipping documents. For steel, it includes rust, deformation and contamination. For bulk cargo, it covers moisture, foreign matter and visible segregation.
Stowage is compared with the stowage plan and with the ship's limits. The surveyor checks that weights are distributed so that stability, longitudinal strength and loading rates in the loading manual are respected, and that SOLAS Chapter VI and the ship's Cargo Securing Manual are being followed for securing.
Ask who the surveyor's report is addressed to, what remarks they will advise the master to place on the receipts, and how they will react if cargo is damaged on the quay. Their notes help the master decide whether to clause the bill of lading, which must reflect apparent order and condition under the Hague-Visby Rules.
You receive a loading report with a timeline, photographs, a list of rejected or damaged items, and stowage details.
Common issues include wet cargo loaded in rain, mixed lots, damage by stevedores, and spaces not properly cleaned.
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