What Should a Comprehensive Ship Survey Report Cover?

Wednesday, August 14, 2013, 1:00 AM | Leave Comment

Ship survey is the process of determining the condition and seaworthiness of a ship. A ship survey can be of many types, including pre-purchase survey, insurance survey (C&V survey), appraisal survey, warranty survey, insurance investigation, consulting survey, rigging survey, and so on.

A ship surveyor conducts a thorough assessment and evaluation of the marine vessel, and prepares a comprehensive ship survey report to be submitted to the intended users of the report.

A ship survey report is thus a complete guide to the condition and/or value of the ship and hence is crucial to a ship owner or a buyer. A ship survey report therefore has to be prepared in a professional and unbiased manner, supported with factual evidence.

Sections of a Ship Survey Report

A ship survey or any marine survey report should contain the following sections, irrespective of the nature of the marine surveying performed:

1. Information about the Party Requesting the Survey:

   The request for ship survey might be made either by the ship owner, or by a potential ship owner or by an insurance underwriter. In any case, the report should clearly indicate the party that requested the ship survey to avoid confusion or disputes later.

2. Scope of the Survey:

   The purpose of the survey (pre-purchase, damage, insurance, appraisal, etc.), along with the scope of the survey should be set out. The intended users of the report, as agreed by the parties requesting the survey should also be indicated.

3. Date, Location and Parties Present:

   The marine surveyor should mention the survey date and the date of report submission. The location should include information about how the vessel was observed – in the water, hauled out, on a trailer, etc. The report should also mention the parties present during the ship survey.

4. General Information of the Vessel:

   The survey report should contain the following information of the ship:

   1. Name of the vessel

   2. Model and the date of manufacture

   3. License number

   4. Hull identification number (HIN) with photograph

   5. Ship length, beam and draft

   6. Engine serial numbers

   7. Fuel type, fuel capacity

   8. Length waterline (LWL)

   9. Propulsion system

5. Detailed Information with Photographs:

   The marine surveyor should describe in detail the condition of the ship, including the construction of the vessel, cockpit design, propulsion machinery, auxiliary machinery, generators, electrical system, engines, fuel system, navigation system, and so on. Photographs should be included, wherever applicable.

6. Standards Adhered:

   The domestic or international standards and specifications that the ship adheres to should be indicated.

7. Key Findings:

   The marine surveyor should list the key findings determined through the ship survey, supported with factual evidence and photographs.

8. Marine Surveyor’s Recommendations:

   The marine surveyor should include a set of recommendations:

   1. Issues that need immediate attention

   2. Issues that need attention within a year (or near future)

   3. Issues that if attended to can enhance the safety and value of the ship

9. Summary and Valuation of the Vessel:

   A summary of the ship survey findings, categorized for separate sections, should be given under this section. A few marine surveyors evaluate the ship’s condition based on pre-defined grades, such as (excellent, above average, fair, poor).

   The fair market value of the vessel should be estimated and reported.

10. Marine surveyor’s Certification:

    This should contain the marine surveyor’s certification that all the information provided in the report is true and correct as on the date of the ship survey.

In addition to the information contained in a ship survey report, the number and timing of the report is also important. Certified marine surveyors often provide frequent updates, and comprehensive reports (as per your requirements), involving you in the whole process of the ship survey.

Author Bio:

Samantha DeLinder has over 15 years of experience in ship survey. Her love for the ships is what drove her to a career as a marine surveyor.

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