In Vietnam, the weight of bulk cargo is typically determined using draft surveys. Shoreside weighbridges are rarely used. However, there are practical challenges associated with conducting draft surveys in Vietnam, according to Britannia P&I Club.
Manipulation of Draft Surveys
Surveyors acting for cargo interests will frequently attempt to manipulate the draft survey in favor of their Principals, the cargo interests. The manipulation involves several technical elements that Members and in particular Owners need to be aware of.
- Cargo surveyors are often deliberately misreading the draft marks. As Clubs and Owners will be aware, a change in just a few centimeters in the draft reading of a handymax to Panamax can change the displacement by up to 100 to 150 Mts.
- The hydrometer, a device used to determine the salinity of the water that the vessel floats in, is another source of disagreement between the ship and cargo surveyors. In Vietnam hydrometers must be certified and calibrated annually by local authorized workshops. Foreign vessels typically do not carry hydrometers certified to local standards but P&I draft surveyors appointed by Spica do.
- Lastly, in Vietnam, the local practice when conducting draft surveys is to sound all tanks that are not mechanically blinded off. Sounding pipes can become blocked over time due to either rust or the accumulation of other foreign matter. A blocked sounding pipe means that the level in for example a ballast tank may not be ascertainable and/or correctly ascertained.
Loss Prevention
While Spica can assist with addressing the claims and facilitating the quick departure of the ship, the aim of this bulletin is primarily to draw attention to the underlying “technical” malpractices of the local surveyors and how to best address these. Employing a P&I draft surveyor to attend on behalf of the Member likely offers the best practical and most economical protection of a Member’s interests.
The presence of a P&I draft surveyor may not prevent the cargo interests from engaging in their incessant practices but it will help Members secure their own valuable and authentic evidence which is necessary to counter claims, should any be pursued. The presence of a P&I draft surveyor may also go some way in reining in the worst excesses of the cargo surveyors. As mentioned, one should not expect cargo surveyors to back down from an erroneous draft discrepancy and a P&I draft surveyor should therefore ideally be present from the outset at both initial and final draft surveys.
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Source: Britannia P&I Club
