Most people think of a surveyor only after cargo has arrived damaged. Some problems, though, can be seen and recorded much earlier, at the shipper’s warehouse, before the goods are loaded. That is the purpose of a pre-shipment survey.
What a pre-shipment survey is
The surveyor attends the shipper’s warehouse before the cargo leaves, records the condition of the goods and their packing, checks them against the documents and photographs everything. If a dispute comes up later, there is a clear record of the state the cargo was in when it was shipped.
When it is worth doing
- the cargo is valuable or fragile, and damage on the way would be expensive;
- the shipment will pass through several countries and carriers, for example through Khorgos or the Caspian ports;
- it is heavy or oversized equipment, where stowage and securing matter a great deal;
- the insurer or the buyer wants confirmation that the goods left in proper condition.
Checking the container before loading
Sometimes a problem can be prevented altogether. Before loading we check whether the container is suitable for the cargo: whether it is clean, whether the doors and locking gear work and whether it is watertight. That is a lot easier than dealing with spoiled goods later. More on this in our article on container surveys.
How the record helps later
If something happens on the way, the pre-shipment record helps the cargo owner, the insurer and the surveyor who inspects the goods at destination. It shows whether the problem existed before shipment or started afterwards, which can matter a great deal when a claim is settled or a recovery from the carrier is considered.
Where we work
ADS Inspection & Consulting works in every region of Kazakhstan with its own surveyors, coordinated from Almaty. In Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Mongolia we work through our network of correspondents.
Frequently asked questions
Can a cargo owner instruct the survey directly?
Yes. Cargo owners instruct pre-shipment surveys with us directly.
What do you need to arrange it?
A description of the cargo, the address of the warehouse where it can be inspected and the planned shipment date.
Arrange a pre-shipment survey
Email info@adsic.kz, call +7 707 108 5758, message us on WhatsApp at +7 777 250 9663 or send a request through the form on our website. We reply on the same working day.