“General Marine Surveyor” means a person of integrity who, guided by previous personal maritime experience, offers his technical expertise as a professional service to shipping, marine associated enterprises and the public. Holding himself to survey Marine or associated property on behalf of interested parties for the purpose of ascertaining particulars of conditions, position or value, while also having regard to their reasonable cause. The General Marine Surveyor recommends remedies to maintain or improve the condition. On completion of a survey, a General Marine Surveyor draws up and submits a formal report, showing particulars and results of the survey.
“The practice of General Marine Surveying” means an inspection, examination or survey by a General Marine Surveyor of:
(a) Marine property used or capable of being used as a means of transportation on, below, or above water, and excludes aircraft hull and machinery, but includes floats and any other water born support structures.
(b) Marine associated property, whether association remote or not, used or capable of being used in connection or in conjunction with, modes or methods of movement in marine transportation, and the transportation or movement of cargoes, goods, freight or other movable property.
(c) and while not restricting the generality of the foregoing includes the survey. inspection and examination of:-
(i) In respect to Hull Condition.
Determining: details, particulars and conditions of any type of craft or vessel whether used for pleasure or commercial purposes or not; including viewing and reviewing the vessel’s construction, initial or apparent seaworthiness and/or indicating suitability for intended service; personnel or operational safety; suitability for location; stability; provisional conditions such as for sale or purchase; conditions appertaining to particular compartments or tanks; condition of working and rigging tackle; condition of hull fittings such as masts, spars, yards, tackle, apparel, anchors, cables, chains. ropes and wires and similar equipment either attached to or forming part of the hull; change in a vessel’s condition attributable to use during a period of hire or charter, including consumable stock; condition or placement of floating lock-gates or similar caissons.
(ii) In respect to Hull Damage.
The determination of the nature and extent of damage done to hull and/or machinery, cargo working gear or deck equipment attached to or forming part of the hull.
The investigation or enquiry into the reasonable cause of such damage sustained which may include survey of other property reported to have been in contact or collision with the hull.
The examination of a hull having experienced a known peril to determine extent, and attribute to, or exclude from damage or conditions found in relation to the ascribed peril.
A specific survey of the normally underwater portions of a hull to determine bottom conditions; subsequent to the normal dry-docking of the vessel; following stranding or grounding or the possibility thereof; forming an extension of a hull condition survey or for any other specific purpose.
(iii) In respect to Machinery Condition or Damage.
Establishing condition of, or nature and extent of, a particular damage of or to, items of machinery or equipment, (whether or not damage has been done) aboard a vessel, including cargo working gear, gearing, heat engines and ancillary equipment; mechanically and electrically driven machinery and apparatus, including auxiliaries and similar machinery and equipment used in the movement of hatch covering devices, cargo, mooring, towing, or used in other marine applications; items of machinery and equipment carried or capable of being carried as cargo. To examination or inspection during or on completion of strip‑down and reassembly in respect to wear down or condition; attendance at test‑pins, or during installation for specific purposes; taking wear downs prior to and subsequent to a period of use to establish change in condition.
(iv) In respect of Evaluation.
Appraisal, assessment, evaluation, cost projection, valuation, accounts current, past and projected, estimations in lieu of foregoing, drawn in regard of any damage or condition surveys with liberty to make enquiries towards market conditions and includes special equipment and pre‑purchase or ship valuations with leave to examine accounts submitted and make enquiries in regard to freight charges, warehouse charges, labour and material costs, dispatch, demurrage, tonnage and other similar transportation, repair or construction charges.
(v) In respect to Cargo.
Determining condition, quantity, nature, and extent of damage in and around the carriage or transportation over, above, on, by or under land, sea or air. Notwithstanding the generality of the foregoing, includes stowage and the approval thereof; measuring or otherwise ascertaining a vessel’s drafts; calculating or measuring a vessel’s volume above or below water, determining a vessel’s cargo deadweight by examining displacements; establishing quantum of outturn discharged or loaded weights either in storage or at any stage in transit, establishing hold or compartment condition, indicating acceptance or rejection preparatory to loading or discharging of such space aboard a vessel or on land; survey during loading or discharging of a vessel, warehouse, tank, or other container for a specific purpose; i.e., cleanliness and/or suitability survey; survey of cargo aboard a vessel, to establish position or condition before discharge; ascertaining unused volume or weight ashore or remaining aboard pursuant to dead‑freight capacity, survey of a particular cargo consignment during shipment aboard or on the docks, viewing and approval of cargo spaces for “Readiness to Load” including issue of such certificate or receipt, or note as required. Securing or taking any cargo or packaging samples for the purpose of ascertaining grade, type or condition or for any other purpose pursuant to survey, inspection or examination of damaged goods, freight or cargo including removal of samples to establish nature, extent, and reasonable cause of such damage, establishment of damaged quantum or percentage of depreciation by direct count, sampling, assessment or by other satisfactory methods; investigating, recommending re‑cooping or other methods of minimizing further loss; arranging sale of damaged part or whole of consignment, accepting tenders for salvage.
Cargo containers and packaging surveys; measurements of cargo and the calculation of ‘measurement tonnage’ which may extend to recommending freight payable, pre‑movement survey; surveys relating to trade marks, non‑standard goods, non‑ordered goods, contamination, refrigeration chambers. Viewing the suitability of a container, or vessel for the carriage of a particular cargo: sometimes “Cargo‑worthiness”, General stability calculations notably in respect to the carriage of grain and other loose stowing commodities, and deck cargoes. Taking general soundings, ullages and densities, to determine bulk liquid volumes, specific gravity, and the calculations to determine weight of, or displacement in such liquids. Being aware of the properties of various cargoes, recommending where necessary precautions to minimize loss or damage in transit. Where qualified under the Merchant Shipping Act, inspection and certification of dangerous goods.
(vi) In respect to Construction.
Attendance during the construction of ‘new building’ vessels, during repair or modification, and on completion, testing tanks, compartments, and watertight closures; superintending construction or repair; also attending prior to trails; on proving trials, or on delivery voyage; superintending repairs construction and alterations, notably on completion; prototype testing; Marine status reports during construction; stability investigations including 1nclining experiments”, Constructional payment schedules and to recommending payment thereof.
Survey of soundings establishing depths of water at various tidal conditions,
Survey for general maintenance items; the drawing up of damage repair schedules, construction, alteration and maintenance specifications; measurement of and verification of scantlings pursuant to plans and adjustments thereto ‘as fitted’. Generally reviewing, approving and recommending changes as they become apparent during repair or construction.
(vii) In respect of Terminal Installation or Operation.
Surveys to establish condition for particular purposes, or damage of docks, shipyards, warehouses, dockyards, marinas, marine‑ways, graving dock, floating dry‑dock; examination of site plans pursuant to dock and approach suitability; approval of moorage suitability and/or lay‑up suitability, determining the condition of various items of equipment used in the above.
(viii) In respect of Marine Losses.
Investigation into collision, sinking, stranding, grounding, fire, wrecks, builder’s or manufacturer’s defects, latent defects, heavy weather and other perils which may be attributable to perils of the sea, rivers, streams, canals and lakes or any other reason for loss or possible liability for loss.
(ix) In respect to Superintendence.
Superintendence of construction, repair or modification to un‑classed vessels, wreck salvage operations; loading or discharging cargo, cargo stowage, hold or other cargo container preparation, export cargo packaging, erection of shore based marine installations and any other maritime or associated constructional operations.
(x) In respect to Special Surveys.
This includes surveys or studies of a more specific nature. Consultation into maritime affairs or matters of transportation or any specialised survey not covered by the foregoing and not limited by the indications set out below.
Surveys for: feasibility or technical purposes; project studies; helicopter landing or lift and transit surveys; marine related or associated structures, transportation, “care custody or control”; Inland Marine. Special equipment, general loss prevention, studies for usage of inland waters including rivers, streams, lakes and canals.
Acting as ‘Agent of Necessity’; general sampling; Arbitration Drawing up and inspecting Maritime accounts also to conducting survey research and enquiry.