Marine surveyor

A government surveyor performs ship registration surveys, surveys of foreign-going ships and local draft, and generally enforces ship safety standards to ensure marine industrial safety. Government-appointed marine surveyors, also called marine inspectors in some countries, belong to two groups that are not mutually exclusive: Flag State surveyors report to the government with whom the vessel is registered, and Port State surveyors report to the government into whose territory the vessel has entered. The Port State surveyors usually have the authority to detain vessels considered to have defects that may result in adverse impacts on life or the environment. Based on their government's legal framework, Flag State surveyors can impose conditions on the vessel such that failure to comply will result in the registration of the vessel being suspended or withdrawn. In this event, the vessel will find it almost impossible to trade.

A Cargo surveyor is normally appointed by the Cargo Owner, usually for Bulk/Grain Cargo. Their job is to perform a draft survey to determine the actual cargo loaded on board. They also confirm that the cargo loading is performed according to the law and is within the loadable limits. The vessel safety is also assessed by the surveyor, which includes minimizing momentum due to cargo shift, which may render the vessel unsafe during the passage.

A classification surveyor inspects ships to make sure that the ship, its components and machinery are built and maintained according to the standards required for their class. Classification surveyors generally have two roles: one is a representative of the classification society; and the other as an inspector on behalf of the country with which the vessel is registered (the flag state). The classification role is to ensure that during construction the vessel initially complies with the classification society's rules for construction and outfitting, and thereafter is maintained fit to proceed trading. The Flag State role is based on a clear set of guidelines issued by the registering country. On satisfactory completion of any survey, the classification surveyor makes recommendations to the classification society and/or the flag state. These may be that the vessel has a clean bill of health, or that various defects must be corrected within a given time.

Increasingly, both government and classification surveyors are becoming involved in confirming compliance with international treaties associated with such concerns as pollution, international security, and safety management schemes. They may also examine cargo gear to ensure that it meets various requirements or regulations. Government and classification surveyors are usually marine professionals, such as a qualified ship's master, engineer, naval architect or radio officer.

A Independent marine surveyor may be asked to carry out a wide range of tasks, including examining a ship's cargo or on board conditions such as fuel quality; investigating accidents at sea (e.g., oil spillages or failure of machinery or structures which are not considered to be critical); and preparing accident reports for insurance purposes, and conducting drought surveys to analyze how much cargo has been lost or gained.

Independent surveyors also carry out condition surveys or per-purchased surveys (also known as "Condition and valuation" survey (C&V)) to determine the condition of the ship prior to charter or an acquisition. Many companies, ship-owners, brokers, etc. employ or contract the services of a private marine surveyor in order to determine the condition of the ship.

Yacht and small craft (Y&SC) surveyors specialize in inspecting smaller vessels, typically less than 24 meters, that are most often used for pleasure boating (both power and sail). Y&SC surveyors may be employed directly by larger marine insurance companies, but most often they are independent practitioners engaged directly by the boating public. Since using boats for pleasure (or "yachting") is a relatively recent phenomena, having only been widely practiced for the last century or so, Y&SC surveying has many unique aspects that are not shared with the more traditional forms of marine surveying described above. In the UK the Yacht Designers and Surveyors' Association has a broad professional membership dealing with the range of craft below and above 24 meters (excluding ships and cargo/container ships). The International Institute of Marine Surveying has over 1,000 members in more than 100 countries and provides regular face to face and online training seminars for both members and non-members at various UK and overseas locations.

All UK vessels in commercial use up to 24 meters load line length, which go to sea, are required by law to comply with one of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) Small Craft Codes. Vessels that meet the stringent requirements of MGN 280 code, or one of the other specialist small craft codes, or the Work boat 2 code, are issued with license certificates by one of several UK Certifying Authorities that are approved under contract by the MCA. Code surveyors have been interviewed, assessed and authorized as being competent by the Certifying Authorities, which include organizations such as the International Institute of Marine Surveying.