Prior to arrival

Sounding tape

The ship should be asked to prepare for the draught survey.

The ballast tanks should be adjusted to a level covered by the sounding tables.

It should be remembered that full tanks can be pressed up but still retain air pockets and also it can be difficult to establish that a tank is completely empty without visual inspection.

Ballast holds, (main cargo holds used for ballast) should be empty of ballast on arrival at the loading port, if possible.

The vessel should arrive with a safe trim, suitable for the navigation to enter port and within the limits of trim covered by the trim corrections of the sounding tables. The vessel should arrive in an upright condition.

Staff, documentation and equipment should be ready on the arrival of the ship. There should be no movement of ballast, fresh water, bunkers or cargo and hatches, cranes and moorings until all measurements are taken and agreed by surveyors and ship's officers. The prudent surveyor will have observed the shore side draughts before boarding as these can

 be used to indicate any changes.

Surveyors tools