Independent surveyor

An independent surveyor is a marine surveyor appointed by one party, an owner, charterer, P&I club, or cargo interest, to attend an operation and give an impartial record, rather than acting for the ship’s class society or flag. Common briefs are on-hire and off-hire bunker and condition surveys, draft surveys for cargo quantity, damage and condition surveys for a P&I claim, and pre-purchase inspections. The surveyor’s report carries weight in charter-party and cargo-claim disputes precisely because the surveyor has no stake in the outcome. On a joint survey, each side may send its own independent surveyor and the two agree a common record where they can.