Off-hire survey

An off-hire survey is a joint condition and bunker survey held at the end of a time charter, when the ship is redelivered from the charterer to the owner. Surveyors appointed by both sides record the hull and cargo-gear condition, any new damage, and the remaining fuel and lubricating-oil quantities by sounding the tanks, so redelivery bunkers can be priced under the charter party. It pairs with the on-hire survey taken at delivery, and the two sets of figures fix the charterer’s bunker account and any damage claims. Disputes over off-hire survey readings are a common charter-party arbitration trigger.