Dear Captain,

Pls keep P&C.

The carrier, your good self and the Owners must deliver the cargo in good
condition and a weight to match the Bill(s) of lading. In a different case the carrier
will face claims and pay damages.

In order to safe guard all parties’ interests against short landing cargo claims,
please take the following actions:

1. Both at the loading and discharging ports if the cargo weight is

ascertained by weight bridge or shore scale, request the latest calibration
certificate for the shore scale or weight bridge together with the manufacturer's
declared weight error allowance and temperature variation. This certificate must
be recent and issued by a recognized survey company or the government. If the
certificate is not recent or the receiver will not present it, issue a LOP stating that:

QT
”The scale certificate is more than……. days old. This equipment has
discharged a very large amount of cargo since the last caliration and subjects to
wear and tear and temperature variations. I have reservation about it’s accuracy
and will not accept the shore figures for the final cargo outturn. Instead cargo
figures will be based on draft survey”.
UQT

2. If the cargo is exposed to rain and has accumulated water, there is a

need to pump out the bilges while at sea and occasionally more than once per
day.
The draining water floods the tanktop and fills up the bilges.
When pumping out the bilge there is still water from tank top falling inside.
In this respect it is difficult to calculate the amount of water pumped out each
time. If apply the cubics of the bilge alone then missing a large amount of water
still draining during the pumping process. There is not an easy way to calculate
this. To be on the safe side add 20% on the bilge cubics for the first week and
10% on the following, in order to avoid cargo shortages at the disport.

3.- Upon arrival to an intermediate or discharging port, carry out the most
accurate draft survey and allocate all the variable weights on board. Email the
results to the operator and ask for advice as to how to match the B/L figures.

4.- Loadport Surveyors appointed by the shippers and disport surveyors

appointed by the cargo receivers have the tendency, the first ones to inflate the
quantity of cargo and the later to show less on board in order to file a short
delivery claim against the carrier.
Many times those surveyors do not leave the initial draft survey on board
although the survey is jointly taken with the ship’s Chief Officer. Also later they
expect to have the officer’s signature which should not be given if a true copy is
not given.
In order to preserve the initial draft survey data, follow the bellow steps.
a. During the draft survey the Chief Officer to take the ship’s camera and
video record; a) all 6 drafts for a few seconds in order to have a clear
waves fluctuation; b) the density and water temperature reading; c) the
faces of the attending surveyors. This to be transferred to the ship’s office
PC and have it handy to use in case of dispute.
b. If the surveyors will not leave an initial draft survey report on board,
Master to issue a letter of protest (LOP) to the Cargo receivers and the
Charterers stating:
Quote.
Your appointed draft surveyors failed / refused to leave a copy of the
jointly taken draft survey. For the sake of good order, attaching ship’s draft
survey which used the same draft and water density figures and came up
to the same results.
This constitutes a final and binding draft survey and I will not accept any
other results.
Acknowledge receipt.
Unquote.
5. Issue an empty holds certificate and have the stevedores or charterers
agents to sign it. On the certificate state the following: “ All cargo discharged as
per bill(s) of lading in good condition. All holds are empty”.
6. Place the same remark on the SOF. Also enumerate the LOPs tendered
and received together with date and subject.
7. Ensure the daily tally receipts have no adverse remarks and enter the
ship’s draft survey figures daily.
8. Draw your attention that final draft surveys figures to closely match B/L
figures. If there is a significant discrepancy above or bellow, in addition with the
receivers, customs may request compensation for lost revenue1.
8.- For cargoes which are ascertained by draft survey only we have noticed
wrong doing by the receivers surveyors.
Namely:
a) Read less draft in the beginning and more at the end.
b) Read lesser water density at the beginning.
c) They do not handle a signed initial draft survey to the Chief Officer.
d) At the end of the discharging come up with cooked figures regarding
the initial draft survey.
If you notice any of the above immediately issue a LOP and act as per paragraph
4 and call the operator to arrange for P&I surveyor.
9.- At the loading port together with the Cargo quality certificate, the stevedores
declaration or the SMDS of the cargo, request cargo moisture contents. This is
required to establish moisture loss weight during transit and reduce potential
shortage claims.

1
This is particularly true in Indian ports.
10.- If the ship has to discharge cargo in more than one port it is better to make
sure the cargo will be discharged by the ship’s natural segregation. This means
the holds for this port must be fully empty.
If it is not fully empty will not be easy to ensure the right quantity is discharged.
To ascertain close quantity discharged follow the bellow steps:
a. Pre-calculate the draft you should stop the discharging.
b. Allow some safety margin and stop the discharging for draft survey
reading before reaching the B/L quantity by 500 – 1000 mt, depending on
the size of the cargo and the volume of the grabs.
c. Ensure your officers and stevedores clearly understand when they have to
stop for draft reading. If they pass the point then there will be no way back
and will face a claim of over discharging cargo2.
d. When the additional cargo to be discharged is calculated, resume
discharging and count / tally the number of the grab lifts (using the cubics
of the grab), it takes to reach the amount of cargo.
e. Once this number is reached, complete the discharging.

A final word about Letters of Protest (LOPs).

LOPs are time sensitive and should be presented to all the parties concerned
immediately. Delays may renter it meaningless.
LOPs create tension between the Master and the third parties. Should not be
issued irresponsibly or for prevention purposes. Instead use neutral titles such
as “Letters from the Master’s Desk” to make your point.

------------
Above instructions to be strictly followed.

ACKN.
B. Rgds,
Ops
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