Cargo inspectors ensure safety and compliance with regulations for cargo on ships. They inspect loading areas, examine cargo, and create documentation. They also ensure proper storage and prepare reports for insurance and regulatory purposes.
Cargo inspectors inspect cargo to address safety and liability issues associated with the contents of the cargo, how it is loaded or handled, or restrictions on the ship. Companies offering cargo lifting services are located in various ports to serve the needs of customers, including remote cargo-minded shipowners, insurance companies, captains and government agencies. Individual cargo inspectors can work for these companies or independently, and many also offer services such as appraisal.
When a cargo inspector boards a ship, a thorough inspection is required. The inspector examines the loading areas, may open the cargo and ask to inspect it, and may meet with personnel to discuss loading and unloading the cargo. If the load has not yet been loaded, the inspector can review it in a warehouse and discuss the loading plan. Cargo inspectors often take photos and take extensive notes as they go about their work, to create the documentation they need later.
One concern for a cargo inspector is regulatory compliance. A ship must have documentation for all cargo on board and no illegal or questionable items. If the ship is traveling to a country with restrictions on incoming cargo, this could also be an issue, unless the ship plans to stop to unload problematic cargo at another destination. The cargo inspector also takes care of safety issues such as poorly sealed explosives that can pose a danger to the ship.
Cargo inspectors also want to determine whether cargo is stored properly. It must be securely fastened and must be organized in a safe and logical manner to distribute weight across the vessel and limit contact between potentially hazardous materials. The cargo inspector can ask crew members to relocate cargo if there are concerns about cargo security and can provide advice to help crew members avoid future security issues.
After reviewing a planned load, the inspector can return to the office to prepare a report. Cargo surveyors may be involved in preparing the declaratory documents used when moving cargo between ports. They also prepare analyzes of a ship’s contents for insurance purposes and for shipowners who may be concerned about fraudulent activities on board. The inspector’s report of what was actually on board, for example, may not match the statements given to the owner by the shipper or captain.
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