Module 1: Introduction to Marine Surveying

Certificate in Marine Surveying

After completing this module, you will be able to:

Explain the need for marine surveyors in the marine industry in basic principles.

Explain the distribution of the world merchant fleet by ship type and gross tonnage.

Describe the role of the various persons and organisations with whom the surveyor
interfaces on a regular basis.

Define and discuss the term “marine surveying”.

Explain in basic terms the role of the marine surveyor.

Discuss the world fleet age profile.

Explain why marine surveys are necessary.

Describe the possible outcomes of marine surveys.

Explain the development of the marine survey industry.

Explain how the marine survey industry is controlled.

Describe the lack of control in the marine survey industry.

Discuss the realities of life as a marine surveyor.

Module Introduction
 Introduction To The Marine Industry

What is Marine Surveying?

Marine Survey Organisations

Understanding the Need for Marine Insurers

The Development of the Marine Survey Industry

Regulation of the Marine Survey Industry

Life as a Marine Surveyor

CONCLUSION

Conclusion

Bibliography

End of Module
1 of 11

Module Introduction

Welcome to Module 1: Introduction to Marine Surveying

On successfully completing this section you will be able to:

Explain the need for marine surveyors in the marine industry in

basic principles.

Explain the distribution of the world merchant fleet by ship type

and gross tonnage.

Describe the role of the various persons and organisations with

whom the surveyor interfaces on a regular basis.

C O N T IN U E

The marine industry is a well-established global concern which has developed and grown over
hundreds of years, thousands if we consider that early humans could utilise primitive boats to use
the sea to their benefit and for survival.

The maritime industry is an industry which is however still developing today. New technologies and
scientific advances provide opportunities for improvements in safety, environmental protection,
efficiency, and the welfare of those who work on board ships, as well as the health of the global

population (human and non-human).

Public attention is often drawn to maritime matters when a negative light is placed on the shipping
industry. The reader is requested at this point to recall from memory alone, the maritime disasters
that have had a negative impact on the human element, the environment or on safety. Hold these
thoughts until later in this introduction. At the same time the reader is asked to recall any news
bulletin or reports, other than those in professional publications, which were widely broadcast, and
which actually improved public perception of the marine industry.

Ongoing industry developments are accompanied by an ever-increasing scope of legislation,

recommendations, guidelines and rules which must be agreed, implemented, ratified, and enforced
on a global basis by numerous classification societies and governments. There is, however, also an
ever-growing responsibility on ship owners and operators to ensure that their vessels are
maintained and operated with a level of quality and care which exceeds the legislative requirements.
This being driven by a very evident reduction in public and industry tolerance of shipping accidents,
ship related pollution and shipping disasters.

The maritime industry, therefore, carries great responsibility to ensure that technical and legislative
developments are best utilised to the benefit of not only the industry, but the global environment
also. In order to fulfil the role of a marine surveyor those involved must have a thorough
understanding of their area of concern, whether that is hull structure surveys, machinery surveys or
any other survey subject for which they may be appointed.

Considering the above, it can be foreseen that the industry will inevitably require continued,
improved, and careful control methods to be observed either on a voluntary basis by companies or,
through legislation adopted / ratified by governments. Either way, the need for marine surveyors to
have a clear understanding of the industry and its needs is abundantly obvious.

This certificate level course is designed to provide existing surveyors, or those wishing to develop
their career further by entering the marine survey arena, with the cardinal information required to
approach that opportunity safely, professionally, and competently. To provide this information, the
course material will focus on the essentials of marine surveying and its associated practices.

When undertaking the study required by this course, students should remain mindful that the
marine industry is an international business which is unique in its setting, it’s operations and it's
controls and one which is not necessarily homogenous in approach across the globe. Care must be
taken in this respect when discussing the industry and that local requirements are both observed and
complied with when necessary.
The foregoing text of this module acts as an introduction to this Certificate in Essentials of Marine
Surveying. As the course progresses, each of the topics included in this module will be explained in
greater detail and will provide a good knowledge of the marine survey industry.

In paragraph three of this introduction the reader was asked to recall from memory any maritime
disasters which had a negative impact on the human element, the environment or on safety. Those
events which are recalled from memory will be influenced by the location of the reader and will vary
from region to region. However, disasters such as the capsize and sinking of the vessel MV Sewol
whilst on passage from Inchen to Jeju on 16 April 2014 with the loss of 304 lives received global
news coverage and will be known to many outside of South Korea.

Other events which attracted global news coverage were the grounding and subsequent partial
capsize of the vessel Costa Concordia on the Isle Del Giglio on 13 January 2012 with the loss of 32

lives and, looking further into the past the grounding of MV Sea Empress on 15 February 2012
when a reported 72,000 tonnes of crude oil were spilled into the sea in the area of a coastal national
park in Wales (UK).

Exxon Valdez, Prestige, Erika, Napoli, Rena, Estonia, Torrey Canyon, Amoco Cadiz and Atlantic
Empress and of course Titanic all also became household names around the world as their fate made
headline news.

Now, how many “good news” reports were recalled? How far reaching, for example, was the news
from Ferguson Shipbuilders Ltd of the launch in December 2012 of the world’s first Hybrid Ferry
(mv Hallaig), owned by Caledonian MacBrayne Assets, which in 2025 is still contributing to the
European Union target of emission reductions by the years 2030 and 2050? This event was a great
advancement in environmental protection, a world first, yet not worthy of global news coverage it
would seem. It has indeed been stated in the past that “Good news is no news” and this seems to be
the case for the maritime industry as a whole.

So, the message from this introduction is this. The marine industry is firmly placed in the public eye
and will always be open to criticism when things go wrong. It will however seldom attract the same
level of attention for its continual improvements. It is a part of the role of the surveyor to contribute
in a number of ways to the industry improvements and these will be covered as this course
progresses.
Surveyors operating in the modern era require to work with integrity, knowledge, honesty,
dedication and professionalism. There is no doubt that the requirements and demands already
evident in the industry will change and develop over time, and this will place a need on surveyors to

constantly refresh their knowledge and to undertake training to ensure Continued Professional
Development (CPD) on a regular basis.

Figure 1: “The world’s first roll on roll off hybrid ferry was built in Scotland for Scotland”.
It was built on the Clyde and is the first of its kind. (Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, 2016)

The 'Hallaig' won the award for most Innovative Transport Project of the Year, awarded by the
Scottish Transport Awards. The Hallaig can carry double the capacity of other vessels in its class and
uses up to 38 percent less fuel whilst producing 7,000 tonnes less CO2 than the vessel it replaced.
The Hallaig which serves the Island of Raasay has enough battery capacity to fulfil the Sunday
timetable by battery mode alone, leading to the crew nicknaming it “Stealth Sunday”.

Power
Two lithium-ion battery banks of approximately 750 kilowatt-hours feed power to a 400-volt
switchboard and drive permanent magnet propulsion motors. Their unique combinatory power
configuration also allows up to an additional 38 percent saving of power input to the propulsion units
over conventional diesel technology.
Capacity
23 cars
150 people
2 fully loaded HGVs

Specification
43.5m Long
12.2m Wide
1.7m Draught

Figure 2: Hallaig Hybrid Ferry Technical Layout

(Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited, 2016)
2 of 11

Introduction To The Marine Industry

As discussed above, the marine industry is a global concern, and it should be considered that ships
are continually moving around the globe – it is in fact their very purpose; other than those vessels
which operate on a domestic service. Those vessels which are in service can be divided into various
categories including ship type and ship size (usually expressed as “Gross Tonnage” or “Deadweight”).

Gross Tonnage
The measurement of Gross Tonnage is in fact not a weight as the name may suggest. It is in fact a
volume relating to certain (but not all) internal areas of the vessel.

Deadweight
This measurement is a weight. It is the weight which can be safely carried by the vessel including all
cargo, stores, fuel, water etc. but excluding the weight of the structure and its fittings.

The industry generally groups vessels into the following categories:

Oil and Chemical Tankers.

Specialised Cargo Ships.

General Cargo Ships.

 Ro-Ro Cargo Ships.

Offshore Vessels.

Passenger Ships.

Containerships.

Fishing Vessels.

Other Tankers*.

Service Ships.

Bulk Carriers.

Gas Tankers.

Tugs.

*Other Tankers are tankers which are not Oil, Chemical or Gas Tankers.

The most up to date figures published by the organisation “Equasis” show that the world merchant
fleet is made up as follows:
 Table 1
Source: (Equasis, 2025)

The above table and in particular the number of vessels trading in each year may seem to provide a
lower number of vessels than may have been anticipated. However, there are other vessels which
for one reason or another will not be published by organisations such as Equasis. For example, non-
registered vessels may not be included. It is encouraging however to note the increase in ships in
operation continuing into 2022.

Taking the statistics for number of vessels it can be seen that the world fleet has a small number of
Specialised Cargo ships, with only 367 in service in 2022 (the latest figures available from Equasis),
yet the largest contributing vessel type to the world fleet is Fishing Vessels which have only
recently been included in Equasis figures.
Another method for gauging the size of the world fleet is to consider the Gross Tonnage:

Table 2
Source: (Equasis, 2025)

By studying the gross tonnage of ships, we can see that the largest section of the fleet is made up of
Bulk Carriers (often referred to as “Bulkers”) yet these vessels are in fifth place when discussing
number of vessels in service. This demonstrates the importance of using more than one method to
describe “fleet size”.

The distribution of ship numbers and tonnage figures make interesting reading. These figures are
constantly changing as newly constructed vessels enter service and others reach the end of their
service life and are decommissioned, scrapped or assigned a new role (for example oil tankers
becoming Floating Storage and Offloading Units (FSO)). Regardless of size, all vessels require
personnel to manage and operate them. The marine surveyor will not interact with all parties
involved in the running of a ship but will come into contact with a large number of them.

Some of the more frequent interactions will be with those listed here below:

Ship Owner:
The ship owner may be considered to be the person who legally owns the vessel. This may be an
individual, a company or a bank (mortgage lender) for example.

Ship Managers:
The ship manager is an individual or company to whom the owner has passed the responsibility for
the running of the vessel. Often the owner has a financial interest but no experience in ship
operations. This becomes the role of the ship manager and may include crewing of the ship, sourcing
work for the ship, fuelling and stocking the ship and ensuring that all class and regulatory matters are
complied with.

The International Management Code for the Safe Operation of Ships and for Pollution Prevention
(ISM Code) is covered in more depth in the Diploma Course for Marine Surveying, but it is worth
mentioning here that this code defines organisations such as the Ship Manager as the “Company”. In
turn the “company” is defined as “the owner of the ship or any other organisation or person such as
the manager, or bareboat charterer, who has assumed the responsibility for operation of the ship
from the owner of the ship and who on assuming such responsibility has agreed to take over all the
duties and responsibilities imposed by the Safety Management Code”.

Note – the ISM Code is a statutory (Flag/IMO) requirement and is enforceable by law.

The Master:
The Master (or Captain) is in overall command of a vessel, regardless of the role of the “company”.
The Master is employed by the “company” to ensure that the vessel is operated efficiently, safely
and in line with all relevant regulation. The Master may over rule instructions from the “company” in
cases where such actions will place the vessel, her crew, passengers, other persons or the
environment in danger.
 The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Part V, Regulation 33 states “The
owner, the charterer, the company operating the ship, or any other person shall not prevent or
restrict the master of the ship from taking or executing any decision which, in the master’s
professional judgment, is necessary for safety of life at sea and protection of the marine
environment”.

The Master is usually the first point of contact for the surveyor when arriving on board a vessel.

Chief Engineer:

The Chief Engineer is employed by the “company” to ensure the safe and efficient operation of a
vessel from a technical aspect. The Chief Engineer will also act as an advisor to the Master on
technical issues. Surveyors will regularly interact with the Chief Engineer during survey periods.

Knowledge check
Arrange the stages involved in the flow of data in a blockchain-based ecosystem in the correct

order.
 SUBMIT

Complete the content above before moving on.

Directed Learning

Review Equasis website

Review IACS website
Review IMO website

Ensure that you are familiar with the layout and general information
contained in the above web pages. Do not attempt to memorise every
detail. However, you should be familiar with the content to the extent
that you know where to locate information when you come to need it.
Research the IMO International Safety Management Code and what its
objective is.
3 of 11

What is Marine Surveying?

On successfully completing this section you will be able to:

Define and discuss the term “marine surveying”.

Explain in basic terms the role of the marine surveyor.

Discuss the world fleet age profile.

C O N T IN U E

The term “Marine Surveying” is often misinterpreted by the general public as the act of surveying
the marine environment, or the wildlife which lives in it. Persons more closely associated with the
industry may consider marine surveying to be the act of surveying the seabed for purposes such as
oil exploration, determining the need for dredging operations or any other geographical purpose.

In this case and for the purposes of this certificate course we shall consider “Marine Surveying” to be
“the act of inspecting a ship, its equipment and components, including the technical, documentary
and human elements, at any stage of design, construction, service or decommissioning”.
[Larsens Marine Surveyors & Consultants Ltd, 2025].

Figure 3
A Catamaran Design Survey Vessel.
 Figure 4
A General Cargo Ship Defect.

Figure 3 shows a survey vessel. The work performed by these vessels is not the “Marine Survey”
type with which this course is concerned. Instead, these vessels will survey, for example, water
depths, seabed shape or water quality for example.

Figure 4 shows a general cargo ship defect found during a “marine survey” of the type which this
course does cover. Hatch-cover roller and chain worn and incorrectly secured. Quite a different
matter to the marine survey performed by the vessel in figure 3.

Having defined “marine surveying” it is necessary to now define the title “marine surveyor”. This is
another area where misinterpretation and lack of understanding may exist. An individual who would
consider “marine surveying” to be the study of the seabed for example may consider a “marine
surveyor” therefore to be a geologist. Someone who considers “marine surveying” to be the study of
the wildlife living in the world’s oceans may consider a “marine surveyor” to be a marine biologist, for
example.

In most (possibly all) areas of the world the title “marine surveyor” is not protected by law. The titles
“Chartered Engineer”, “Solicitor” and “Medical Doctor” do not suffer from this same lack of control
on the use of the title and posing as such a person in many global areas can lead to prosecution. This
leads to a more selective use of those titles than we experience with the title “marine surveyor”.

In reality, the marine surveyor is a professional person with extensive maritime experience which is
supported by a formal academic qualification or continued professional development. Marine
surveyors are expected to possess technically sound knowledge and be able to use this without
prejudice and whilst remaining unbiased in all tasks undertaken. This constant refreshing of
knowledge along with the responsibility taken by such individuals lead to marine surveyors holding a
prestigious and well-respected position within the maritime industry. It is vital that all marine
surveyors strive to ensure this recognition is maintained and not brought into question by their
actions.

For the purpose of this certificate course, we shall consider a marine surveyor to be “a professional
person holding appropriate academic qualifications and/or relevant experience in the inspection of
ships, their equipment and components including the human element”. (Larsens Marine Surveyors &
Consultants Ltd, 2025.)

In order to avoid confusion, we should also consider that the marine surveyor is not:

An advisor

An auditor

A designer

An insurer

A trainer

A ship repairer

A consultant
 A shipowner

Etc.

It is of course the case that the marine surveyor may be well qualified and experienced in the above-
mentioned professions, but clear lines must be defined in the roles. This is necessary in order to
avoid conflicts of interest. As an example, if a marine surveyor were to certify a repair that he/she
had performed then this would be a case of “self-certification” which is clearly unethical.

Earlier in this module we discussed the ship type and ship size dispersion of vessels in the world
fleet. This is of great interest to the marine surveyor, but in addition to this the age of these vessels
is important form the survey perspective. If we now look again to Equasis we can study the statistics
of vessel age in the world merchant fleet as follows:

(Equasis, 2022)

The age profile of the world merchant fleet makes interesting reading to the marine surveyor. From
this we can see which vessels have been responsible for the most recent highest percentage of new
construction in the world fleet (Bulk Carriers) and which are representing the highest percentage of
aging shipping in the world merchant fleet (Fishing vessels). This information is useful to the marine
surveyor in aiding their predictions for workload and survey possibilities by ship age and type.

From the above Table 3, the marine surveyor could consider that the highest number of non-
predicted surveys will come from Fishing Vessels and General Cargo Ships which are over 15 years
of age. What is not so obvious is that a high number of damage surveys also come from vessels
which are 0 to 5 years in age. This is generally attributed to defects occurring within the first five
years of leaving the construction yard.
4 of 11

Marine Survey Organisations

Many different types of marine survey organisations are in existence and these will be covered in
greater depth in Module 2 of this Certificate course. In the meantime, a short description of some of
those organisations follows here below:

Independent Surveyors
Independent surveyors operate as an individual or as an employee of an independent survey
company. These surveyors will act on behalf of many different clients, and usually offer a wide scope
of services including condition surveys, damage surveys, insurance claims surveys, pre-purchase
surveys and surveys on behalf of Flag State, when delegated to do so.

P&I Surveyors
Protection and Indemnity (P&I) Club surveyors represent these clubs in order to protect these
organisations from exposing themselves and their members to unacceptable or unexpected levels of
financial risk. Such clubs exist to protect their members but must also exercise caution with the
condition of vessels being accepted for cover and for levels of pay-out should a claim be unjustified.
This is where the key role of the P&I Club surveyor exists.

P&I Clubs tend to employ independent surveyors to conduct surveys on their behalf.

Classification Societies
Classification societies are non-government organisations. These organisations produce their own
rules for construction requirements of vessels. The societies perform surveys of vessels on their
register in order to verify compliance with the society’s rules. Classification societies also perform
statutory surveys on behalf of Flag State Administrations when delegated to do so. Classification
Societies can be divided into two groups – members of the International Association of Classification
Societies (IACS) and those which are not members of the International Association of Classification
Societies (IACS).

IACS consists of the following members:

ABS American Bureau of Shipping

BV Bureau Veritas

CCS China Classification Society

NK Class NK

CRS Croatian Register

DNV Det Norske Veritas (Previously Det Norske Veritas - Germanischer

Lloyd) **

IRS Indian Register of Shipping

KR Korean Register

LR Lloyd’s Register of Shipping

PRS Polish Register of Shipping

RINA (Not to be confused with the Royal Institution of Naval Architects

also known as RINA)
Türk Loydu

Figure 5
Korean Register

Figure 6
American Bureau of Shipping

Figure 7
Class NK

Figure 8
Bureau Veritas
 Figure 9
China Classification Society

Figure 10
Polish Register of Shipping

Figure 11
Registro Italiano Navale
 Figure 12
Türk Loydu

Figure 13
Croatian Register

Figure 14
Lloyd’s Register of Shipping
 Figure 15
Indian Register of Shipping

Figure 16
Det Norske Veritas Germanischer Lloyd

(IACS, 2023)

Port State Control (PSC)

Port State Control (PSC) surveyors are employed by national or regional governments to inspect
vessels arriving at the ports falling under the jurisdiction of that government. PSC surveyors may
board any vessel in the national waters for which their Port State Control organisation is responsible.
The purpose of their surveys is to identify vessels which do not comply with the required
regulations and/or which pose a safety or environmental risk. PSC surveyors have the legal powers
to detain a vessel if required. PSC typically board vessels which are foreign to the port of the PSC
organisation.

Flag State Flag State Surveyors (FSI)

Flag State surveyors are often independent surveyors acting on behalf of a Flag State
Administration. On occasions these surveyors may be full-time employees of the Flag State
Administration. Flag State employees are tasked with surveying the vessels which sail under the flag
of a specific government in order to verify compliance with applicable regulations.
Marine Warranty Surveyors (MWS)
Marine warranty surveyors may work for insurance companies or original equipment manufacturers
(OEM) in order to ensure compliance with various contractual clauses or to identify risk to a
particular project.

Directed Learning

Research the role of IACS at the International Maritime

Organization.

Research the origin of classification Societies.

5 of 11

Understanding the Need for Marine Insurers

On successfully completing this section you will be able to:

Explain why marine surveys are necessary.

Describe the possible outcomes of marine surveys.

C O N T IN U E

Marine Surveys - Objective and Purpose

Despite the many different types of marine survey which can be performed the same general
purpose is common to them all. To provide an unbiased report pertaining to a particular matter. What
does differ is the role of the marine surveyor. In order to fully understand their role, the marine
surveyor should request from their customer clear “instructions”. Note the party instructing the
surveyor is often referred to as the “principal”.

Whilst the term “instruct” is used when appointing a surveyor this should never be taken to infer any
level of control over the surveyor’s findings. It is a fact that the principal must come to terms with, in
that the surveyor’s findings may not be in their favour. This raises an interesting question of
confidentiality.

Once a surveyor has written a report its contents may well become known to other parties. This is
because an investigating body or indeed an opposing party in a legal case, can demand to view the
report whether they were the instructing party or not.

Due to this, many companies will instruct a surveyor via a maritime solicitor in order to ensure that
the contents of any subsequent report are confidential – this is known as the report being “legally
privileged”. This legal privilege can only be arranged by a solicitor and not by the surveyor.

The position of the surveyor is usually that of a “third party”. The term third party simply means that
the surveyor is not a signatory to a previous contract. For example, a ship owner may enter into a
contract with a cargo owner to carry a cargo from ‘point A’ to ‘point B’. The surveyor is not involved
in this contract. However, should the ship have an incident and the cargo is damaged, then a surveyor
may be instructed to attend the vessel by one of those two contracting parties. This makes the
surveyor a “third party”.

Another example of this is the ship owner entering into a contract with an insurance company. The
contracting parties being the ship owner and the insurance company with no involvement of a
surveyor. Two possibilities exist in this example.

Firstly, the insurance company may instruct the surveyor to perform a condition survey of the
vessel to be insured. Secondly, should a claim be made on the insurance policy, then the insurance
company may instruct the surveyor to perform a damage survey prior to settling that claim. In both
cases, as the surveyor was not a signatory to the original contract, they are considered to be a “third
party”.

This position of third party is beneficial to all involved but is usually enforced further by the surveyor
acting “without prejudice”. Without prejudice is a statement which means that the surveyor is
working impartially and without bias.

This means that the surveyor has not worded his report in a particular manner as to favour one or
other party. In many cases the surveyor’s fee will also be based on a without prejudice basis – this is
very important if the subject of the survey is a dispute or claim matter. The surveyor’s fee remains
unchanged regardless of the outcome of the matter. This is a good way for the surveyor to
demonstrate his/her neutral position.

The surveys performed however, may differ in scope and purpose. A classification society annual
survey will have a different scope to that of a damage survey on behalf of an insurance company. The
purpose of each survey must, therefore, be well understood prior to commencement. Once
understood, survey planning can commence.

The objective of any survey should always be clear in the mind of the surveyor. The objective and
purpose must be carefully considered prior to accepting the survey instruction. Where instances of a
conflict of interest exist, the surveyor must mitigate this by some means – often this will mean
refusing to perform the survey. In these cases, the surveyor should make the reason for survey
refusal very clear and state that it is a matter of professional ethics. However, under no
circumstances should the surveyor reveal any confidential or sensitive information to either of the
parties with whom they have the conflict of interest.

Survey objectives vary immensely. Some of the more common survey objectives are discussed
below:

Classification Surveys: These surveys are performed by the classification societies, usually by an
“exclusive surveyor”.

The class surveys are intended to ensure that vessels comply with the requirements of the
classification society’s rules. Such surveys may include:

Annual survey of hull.

Annual survey of machinery.

Annual survey of automation.

Annual survey of boilers.

 Intermediate survey.

Tail shaft survey.

Survey of the outside of the bottom of the ship in dry condition.

Class renewal survey.

Other classification society surveys are required, and these depend on the areas of the vessel which
are classed. Further surveys are required for specific ship types such as Bulk Carrier, Oil Tanker and
Gas Tanker.

Knowledge check
What is the significance of the term "third party" in the context of marine surveys?

Select all that apply.

The surveyor is independent of other parties

The surveyor may report to a single entity only

The surveyor has no commercial interest in the vessel other than the
survey
 The surveyor must not be influenced by commercial pressures on the
vessel

SUBMIT

Complete the content above before moving on.

Statutory Surveys
These surveys are required by the International Maritime Organisation and by law. Flag State
Administrations are responsible for ensuring that the statutory surveys are enforced but will often
delegate the survey task to the classification societies.

Over the past decade the statutory certification scheme has been “harmonised”. This means that all
statutory surveys required by a vessel become due at the same time. This also means that all of the
statutory certificates issued to the vessel have the same validity date. In order to ascertain the
validity date all certificates are aligned with the Harmonised Safety Construction Certificate.

The statutory certificate validity dates also align with the Classification Certificate. The purpose of
the statutory surveys is to verify that the vessel is in compliance with the regulations relevant to it.
Typical statutory surveys may include:

Safety construction survey.

Safety equipment survey.

 Safety radio survey.

International oil pollution prevention survey.

International air pollution prevention survey.

International sewage pollution prevention survey.

International garbage pollution prevention survey.

Noxious liquid substances pollution prevention survey.

Harmful substances carried by sea in packaged form - pollution prevention

survey.

International Load Line Survey / National Load Line Survey.

Safe manning survey.

Other statutory surveys may be required, depending on ship type.

Classification surveys and statutory surveys both serve very similar purposes but with different
reasons. The statutory surveys cover the REGULATORY aspects and are required by law.

The classification surveys cover the RULE aspects – these are NOT required by law. It is
exceptionally important not to forget this distinct difference. Statutory surveys are designed to
ensure that ships comply with REGULATIONS. Class surveys are designed to ensure that ships
comply with the class society RULES. Class and statutory surveys will be discussed in more detail in
Module 5 of this course.

Condition Surveys
These surveys are often instructed by insurance companies, charterers or Protection and Indemnity
(P&I) Clubs. The purpose of these surveys is to assess the condition of a vessel or to compare the
condition of one vessel against the condition of another (or several others).

This can of course be ambiguous. Consider that a vessel has been surveyed and the surveyor has
described the condition of that vessel as “good”. Now consider a second vessel, also surveyed for
condition purposes and also described as having a “good” condition.

It would seem that the vessels are in the same condition - this may not be true however. If each of
the two vessels has been surveyed by a different surveyor, then the interpretation of “good” may
differ.

The purpose of a condition survey is clear – controlling the accuracy of these is somewhat more
difficult. This problem will be discussed in more detail in Module 5 of this course.

Valuation Surveys
Valuation surveys are most often instructed by a party involved in a ship sale or purchase. These
surveys are usually performed concurrently with a condition survey. Vessel valuation can be a
specialised matter and is often best left to a ship broker.

Vetting Surveys
Vetting surveys are also often instructed by charterers of potential charters. Such surveys are
closely related to condition surveys but will also include operational aspects. Unlike condition
surveys, which may be performed prior to vessel selection for a charter, the vetting survey tends to
be instructed after vessel selection has taken place and often at the loading or discharge port. Ship
vetting surveys are very common on oil tankers, chemical tankers and gas tankers.

The purpose of a vetting survey is to ensure that the vessel is in good condition and also that the
vessel is being operated correctly and in line with the contract agreed between the ship owner and
the cargo owner (the contract being known as a Charter Party).
Warranty Surveys
These surveys provide an independent approval and/or analysis of a specific project or of the
operation of particular items of equipment. Such surveys can reduce exposure to risk by project
managers and original equipment manufacturers.

Bunker Surveys
Bunker surveys may be instructed by a charterer, by a vessel receiving bunkers or by a
terminal/barge supplying bunkers to a ship. “Bunkers” is the term given to fuel oil and lubricating oil
on board a vessel. The purpose of these surveys is to ensure agreement between the supplier of the
bunkers and the receiver of the bunkers. It is a fact that in some areas of the world bunker suppliers
will attempt to claim to have placed more bunkers on board a ship than they have done.

This can be done by varying the temperature of the bunker fluid (by heating the fluid it appears that
more has been provided) or by inducing air into the system downstream of a flow meter. It is the
purpose of the bunker survey to ensure that the quantity of bunkers claimed to have been pumped
onto a ship is correct.

Survey types can vary enormously depending upon the requirements of the instructing principal. It is
not possible to discuss each and every possible survey scenario, but the above does give an
overview of what may be required.

From the above we can see that the primary purpose of any survey is to verify compliance with
regulations, rules, a standard or a contract, or to provide the instructing party with unbiased and
independent information upon which they can make an informed decision on matters of importance
to them.

Directed Learning

Research the IACS definition of “exclusive surveyor”.

Research the terms “bareboat charter”, “voyage charter” and
“charter party”.

Research the P&I IG Survey forms Part B. Review the

requirements of these forms.
6 of 11

The Development of the Marine Survey Industry

On successfully completing this section you will be able to:

Explain the development of the marine survey industry.

C O N T IN U E

Marine surveying is now a well-established and well recognised profession with numerous areas of
speciality and expertise.

However, it has been quite a slow process for the industry to arrive at its current multi-disciplined
position. This development has been driven in part by accidents and disasters, but also by new
regulations, customer requirements, public pressure and technical advances.

It is generally accepted that the classification societies were the first organisations to provide a
structured and organised marine survey service and that this came about in the later part of the 18th
Century. This first step in the marine survey industry was born out of a need for ship-owners, cargo
owners and insurance companies to understand the levels of risk associated with a particular vessel.
The early insurance companies previously held meetings at a “coffee house” owned by a Mr Edward
Lloyd – Lloyd’s coffee house – to discuss such matters and to “gossip” as history so often describes
their conversations. It is from the name of that coffee house that the now world-famous name of
“Lloyd’s” was taken with regards to the register society that was formed there in 1760.

Some years later it was deemed necessary by several countries’ governments for a clear regulatory
control system to be developed in the shipping industry in order to promote safety. From this need
several treaties were signed which in 1948, following the formation of the United Nations, resulted
in the establishing of the Inter-Governmental Maritime Consultative Organisation, later in 1982 to
become the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

As both the International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) and the International Maritime
Organization (IMO) developed so did a closer working relationship between the two bodies.
Association of Classification Societies (IACS) now advises the International Maritime Organization
(IMO) on many matters.

Whilst the class and statutory survey matter was continuing to develop, the need for other survey
types was also growing. Shipowners, cargo owners and insurance companies, in a bid to reduce risk
to their organisations and their staff, were beginning to use marine surveyors as a means to
demonstrate “due diligence” and to aid them in reducing risk.

It was also considered by many organisations (and still is today) that classification society Rules
provide only the minimum acceptable standards for a vessel and that the charterers, cargo owners
and insurance companies require even higher levels of control. It is also acknowledged that
classification is not a quality control system and cannot be used as such.

From here, independent condition surveys and quality control surveys became common place as did
damage surveys, all of which now play a daily part in the maritime industry.

As the term “marine surveyor” is not legally protected there soon became a need to ensure that
surveyors operating in the industry were competent in their tasks. Several organisations developed
with the purpose of setting the standards required for membership as a marine surveyor and
thereby setting the standards for the industry.
 Today these organisations still operate but are not regulated – just like the classification societies
they set their own rules and standards, but this does still provide what is probably the only control
mechanism available in the industry.

It is foreseen by the author that a more regulated control of independent surveyors will be initiated
in the years to come.

Knowledge check
Select the statements that are true.

Marine surveying is a well-established and recognised profession with

various areas of specialisation and expertise.

The development of the industry has been driven by accidents and

disasters, regulations, customer requirements, public pressure, and
technical advances.

Classification societies were the first organisations to provide a

structured and organised marine survey service, born out of a need to
understand the risk associated with a particular vessel.

The term “marine surveyor” is legally protected.

Independent condition surveys and quality control surveys became

commonplace, and organisations were developed to set the standards
required for membership as a marine surveyor.
The author foresees that the regulation of independent surveyors in the
industry is likely to remain the same in the future.

SUBMIT

Complete the content above before moving on.

Directed Learning

Research the term “due diligence”.

Explain on the forum why classification certification cannot be

considered to be a quality guarantee.
7 of 11

Regulation of the Marine Survey Industry

On successfully completing this section you will be able to:

Explain how the marine survey industry is controlled.

Describe the lack of control in the marine survey industry.

C O N T IN U E

Regulation of the marine survey industry is something of a grey area. As discussed earlier in this
module the title of “Marine Surveyor” is not legally protected. This is a very important matter in that
anybody can offer their services as a marine surveyor, regardless of experience or qualification.

Several organisations have developed in order to bring a level of confidence and control to the
profession. The Society of Consulting Marine Engineers (SCMS), the International Institute of
Marine Surveying (IIMS) and the International Association of Marine Warranty Surveyors (IAMWS) all
require members to have achieved a prescribed level of training and experience before becoming
registered with them.
The Society of Consulting Marine Engineers and Ship Surveyors (SCMS) provides a good example of
the aims and objectives required by the marine surveying industry and are as follows:

The provision of a central organisation for those engaged in technical

maritime affairs.

The supervision, promotion and protection of the mutual interests of the

Society's members.

To encourage improved methods of surveying and drawing up of reports in

line with developments and technology.

To improve and foster in commercial circles a higher sense of the

importance of ship and engine surveys and to encourage a greater degree
of efficiency in those engaged in the same.

To provide opportunities for discussion amongst members and to give

facilities for the reading of papers, the delivery of lectures and for the
acquisition and dissemination, by other means, of useful information
connected with the profession.

These aims, and objects allow for a sharing of knowledge, a platform to homogenise the approach to
marine surveying and an opportunity for marine professionals to continually improve the services
which they provide.

At the same time, the International Association of Marine Warranty Surveyors, which is an affiliate of
the National Association of Marine Surveyors. Inc. (USA) publish their aims as follows:

IAMWS (International Association of Marine Warranty Surveyors) is an affiliate of the

National Association of Marine Surveyors, Inc. (USA).

IAMWS, established in 2013, is an international society for Marine Warranty Surveyors with
the following aims:
 Assess and provide accreditation to practicing Marine Warranty Surveyors, to ensure they
operate to an acknowledged minimum professional standard and code of ethics.

Provide a technical forum to share ideas, best practice and lessons learned.

Promote an open dialogue with Underwriters, Oil & Gas companies, contractors, and other
stakeholders, with the Marine Warranty surveying industry.

IAMWS membership is open to Individual Marine Warranty Surveyors (not companies). To

qualify, Marine Warranty Surveyors will need to demonstrate that they are capable of
performing to a minimum standard of competency. They will undergo testing, continuing
professional development and be subject to the rules of the association.

(The International Association of Marine Warranty Surveyors, n.d.)

The International Institute of Marine Surveying also encourages the same areas and states that:

“The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS) is an independent, non-political

organisation promoting the professionalism, recognition and training of marine surveyors
worldwide.”

(IIMS, n.d.)

It is evident therefore that there is a clear intention and ongoing effort to bring a level of control to
the marine surveying profession even if this is not driven by regulation. It is strongly recommended
by the author of this module that persons practicing as marine surveyors should seek to join an
organisation such as those mentioned above (others do exist).

This assists the surveyor in demonstrating a level of competence, ability and professional
recognition which will bring a level of confidence to the instructing principle. It should be noted that
in order to be a member of certain organisations the applicant must hold relevant insurance policies
covering their survey activities.
 The International Association of Classification Societies (IACS) has invoked a “Procedural
Requirement” on its members with regards to the employment of surveyors. Again, this not a
regulation, but it is a requirement which is auditable. The Procedural Requirement concerned is
“PR05 - Definition of Exclusive Surveyor and Non-Exclusive Surveyor and Procedure for
Employment and Control of Non-Exclusive Surveyors”.

PR05 requires that “Exclusive Surveyors” are “duly qualified, trained, authorised and directly
controlled by [the employing] Society for the performance of the duties and activities being
delegated…”

PR05 is however, more specific concerning the employment of “non-exclusive surveyors” in that the
following is required:

“(a) A degree or equivalent from an institution recognised within a relevant field of

engineering or physical science, or a qualification from a suitable marine or nautical institution
and relevant seagoing experience as a certified ship officer, (b) Suitable work experience
relevant to the processes he or she is authorised to perform.”

(IACS, 2009)

The Procedural Requirement PR05 brings a common requirement across the IACS members but it
should be recalled that other societies are operating as non-IACS Members.

Knowledge check
Which of the following organizations require members to have a prescribed level of training

and experience before becoming registered with them?

The Society of Consulting Marine Engineers (SCMS)

The International Institute of Marine Surveying (IIMS)

The International Association of Marine Warranty Surveyors (IAMWS)

SUBMIT

Complete the content above before moving on.

Directed Learning

Locate and familiarise yourself with IACS PR05.

Research the most suitable professional organisation for your

intended area of practice and discuss on the forum.
8 of 11

Life as a Marine Surveyor

On successfully completing this section you will be able to:

Discuss the realities of life as a marine surveyor.

C O N T IN U E

This section is quite deliberately titled “Life as a Marine Surveyor” as the role of the surveyor does
tend to become a way of life more than a job, more than a profession and, more than a career.

The career paths and employment routes to becoming a surveyor are not clearly defined and those
wishing to develop their current careers, or who wish to digress into surveying would be well
advised to research the possibilities and opportunities in the geographical and professional areas in
which they wish to operate.

Due to the lack of clear routes to becoming a surveyor, the individual experience of an individual
becomes very important in what is essentially a selection process. Many sea-going personnel will
decide in their early career that their goal is to become a marine surveyor and the position of choice
 tends to be that of a classification society surveyor. However, many sea going personnel will also
digress into other sectors of the industry including the offshore industry and this can lead to
positions such as offshore surveyor and warranty surveyor.

When discussing the decisions made and training undertaken by current marine surveyors, we find
that there are four main tracks which have led to their success in finding such employment:

Marine Engineering Officers

Typically, a marine engineering officer will commence their career by attending college and accumulating sea
time as a marine engineer cadet. Many colleges around the world specialise in this training and accept
students from around the globe. In the UK, colleges such as Glasgow Nautical College, South Tyneside
College and Warsash (in Southampton) run such courses.

Completion of these courses will typically lead to the student gaining a Higher National Diploma or Degree
level academic qualification along with a Certificate of Competency. Once qualified the marine engineer is
required to accumulate further sea time and complete further college training in order to progress in rank
until qualifying as a Chief Engineer.

Many marine engineers choose to leave the sea before achieving the rank of Chief Engineer in order to
become surveyors. In many cases survey organisations will accept this level of experience and offer a
position of trainee surveyor.

Deck Officers

The training of a deck officer follows a similar route to that of the marine engineer. Commencing at college as
a cadet the deck officer can then progress to the position of Master/Captain. Many deck officers also decide
to change career by training as a surveyor although it does seem to be more common for this profession to
concentrate more on roles as an auditor.
Graduates

Some survey organisations will look to employ graduates who have achieved a degree level qualification in a
marine related subject – often this will be a technical qualification. Some organisations offer graduate
development schemes to suitable candidates.

Unrelated professions

In some cases, individuals may choose to pursue a career as a marine surveyor by undertaking studies which
may lead to employment as a trainee surveyor. This can be a difficult and daunting task, but it is achievable.

In almost all cases, individuals joining a marine survey company will do so as a trainee regardless of how
experienced or qualified they may be. It can then take several months or several years of further training and
development to become a competent marine surveyor.

Training is vitally important as the marine surveyor takes a massive amount of responsibility. The level of
responsibility is often limited by the contract between the survey organisation and the client. It is an important
skill to be capable of only taking necessary responsibility and there are numerous methods of doing so. Often
referred to as “transfer of responsibility”, the marine surveyor can unintentionally adopt responsibility which
should belong to someone else. Marine surveyors must therefore develop many skills other than those of a
technical nature.

An example of unintentional transfer of responsibility follows:

A ship is in dry dock for repair to a crack in the turn of bilge. The shipowner asks the classification surveyor
how the repair should be performed. In a bid to assist his principal, the classification surveyor describes a
method of repair to the dry dock staff and this is duly completed by them.

The vessel re-enters service and encounters heavy weather during which time the repair fails, the structural
integrity of the hull is breached, and the vessel develops a sudden list. This list results in injury to the ship’s
staff and loss of cargo overboard.

During the subsequent investigation and insurance claim dispute, the shipowner claims that the repair was
supervised by the surveyor.

In the above scenario the surveyor has acted with good intention but has unwittingly adopted responsibility
for the repair. The correct action would have been for the shipowner to propose a repair to the classification
surveyor and for the surveyor to accept or not the proposal. In this case the repair proposal comes from the
shipowner and responsibility remains with them. The classification surveyor’s only role being to ensure that
the repair did not result in the vessel failing to comply with the rules of the classification society. An ability to
avoid such situations comes from good training.
It is clear from the above that the life of a surveyor is one arrived at in one of several ways and
becomes a position which is greatly respected in the industry, but in which great care is required.

There is, however, another side to the life of the marine surveyor – personal life. Ships generally
operate 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. They seldom stop because of holidays, sickness or any
other event.

Time is money and ships which are not in service are not earning income. However, when a ship is
not earning income, it still has financial obligations to meet. The ship’s staff and shore side support
staff still need to be paid, insurance premiums still need to be paid, fuel may still be being consumed
and dock fees accumulating.

For this reason, the marine surveyor will be expected to work long and unsociable hours at times.
Many surveyors will have missed family birthdays, weddings, funerals and other events of
importance in their personal life due to workload and work commitments. It is a very demanding
career. Combine this with long journeys to meet ships at any location in the world, early flights and
late-night paperwork can all take their toll on the health of the marine surveyor and on the health of
personal relationships.

Then we must also consider that without due care and attention marine surveyors may find
themselves in dangerous situations during the survey or in hostile environments, either on board or
in the geographical area in which they are operational.

Whilst the safety on board aspect is often easily dealt with by changing survey procedures or
arrangement, the hostile geographical environment is much more difficult to deal with. Marine
surveyors must always remain mindful that they could be entering dangerous or hostile regions, and
that thorough research should be required prior to departure. Recall also that you may board a ship in
a safe port but be leaving the vessel somewhere quite different. In these situations, support should
be sought from the ship’s agents.
It should also be considered that prior to entering certain regions medical vaccinations should be
administered or medication commenced several days or weeks in advance – protection against
malaria is a prime example of this.

In order to gain an understanding of the safety of travel the website of the United Kingdom Foreign
and Commonwealth Office (FC0) can be used free of charge at [Link]
advice/syria

Other similar sites provide a similar level of advice.

SYRIA
Summary
Still current at: 27 January 2024
Updated: 12 January 2024
Latest update: Update to Safety and Security page

Figure 17
 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice (UKGOV, 2024)

Safety and security Military activity in the Red Sea area

Military activity is currently underway in response to attempts by Houthi militants to prevent

movement of international shipping in the Red Sea. While the area of activity is limited to the Red
Sea and Yemen, there is a possibility that Travel Advice for nearby countries could change at short
notice. You should continue to monitor Travel Advice and follow any relevant instructions from local
authorities.

(UKGOV, 2024)

Further example, and a less critical but just as important one, is also taken from the FCO website at
the time producing of this module:

PHILLIPPINES
Summary
Still current at: 27 January 2024
Updated: 8 December 2023
Latest update: Information on terrorism risks ('Safety and security' page).
 Figure 18
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Travel Advice (UKGOV, 2024b)

FCDO advises against all travel to western and central Mindanao and the Sulu archipelago because of
terrorist activity and clashes between the military and insurgent groups. FCDO advises against all
but essential travel to the remainder of Mindanao (excluding Camiguin, Dinagat and Siargao Islands)
due to the threat of terrorism.
There are multiple terrorist and militant groups operating in the Philippines, including the Abu Sayyaf
Group (ASG), Islamic State Philippines (IS-Philippines), the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters
(BIFF), and other associated groups.

Terrorist attacks occur frequently in Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago in particular. While these
attacks primarily target Filipino security forces, certain groups operating in these regions have
pledged allegiance to Daesh and have targeted religious groups. Terrorist groups may also consider
Westerners as legitimate targets for an attack.

Multiple terrorist groups have the intent to carry out attacks anywhere in the Philippines, including in
the capital Manila and in places visited by foreigners, such as:

shopping malls

entertainment establishments

public transport, including airports and the metro system

places of worship

Previous significant incidents include:

in December 2023, four people were killed and several injured in an explosion during a Catholic
mass in Marawi

in August 2020, dual explosions in Jolo, Sulu resulting in a number of deaths and injuries

in 2019, a dual suicide attack on a military base in Indanan in Sulu Province killed 3 civilians and
3 military personnel as well as the 2 attackers. A further 22 people were injured

in 2019, 27 people were killed and many more injured as a result of bomb attacks at a Roman
Catholic cathedral on Jolo Island in Sulu Province

(UKGOV, 2024b)

Life as a marine surveyor can be very demanding physically and emotionally. Working in extremes of
heat and extremes of cold, tiredness, fatigue, separation from family and exposure to personal risk all
accumulate in a very demanding position. That said however, the marine surveyor can also enjoy
great autonomy, job satisfaction and, continual professional and personal development which brings
with it a position of responsibility and respect.

Many individuals who choose to become marine surveyors will leave the profession again within a
few years as the demands on their personal time become too great. Others embrace this and go on
to become very successful and through careful management (and understanding of friends and
family) go on to have very rewarding careers.

Directed learning

Investigate companies and governments who provide free online advice

concerning travel.
9 of 11

Conclusion

The foregoing text is intended to bring a level of knowledge to the reader which will be evolved
further in the following five modules.

By understanding the profile of the world merchant fleet, the marine surveyor can decide on his/her
strategy for business development, identify marketing arenas and gauge the potential workload
which may be placed upon them in the coming years.

It is important that the marine surveyor ensures that they have current and up to date knowledge to
deal with the survey requirements of the world fleet. Reading professional journals will allow for
them to learn of the beneficial events in the industry as well as of those which the global news media
find of interest, primarily disasters. Such reading and research will also aid in a successful completion
of this course.

The marine survey profession covers a vast scope of rules, regulations, technical and personal
aspects which lead to a very rewarding even if at times tiring career. This Certificate course will
provide you with the basic knowledge required to progress towards that career.

The next module will look at survey organisations and statutory bodies in more detail.
 When you are ready, please go online to
complete the online assessment for this
module. If you don’t achieve at least 70%, you
may revise the module and attempt the test
again to improve your score.
10 of 11

Bibliography

Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (2016). The world’s first roll on roll off hybrid ferry was built in
Scotland for Scotland. (n.d.). [image].

[Link]. (n.d.). Equasis. [online] Available at: [Link] 24-01-2022].

IACS, (2009), PR5 Definition of Exclusive Surveyor and Non-Exclusive Surveyor and Procedure for
Employment and Control of Non-Exclusive Surveyors. [online] Available at
[Link] [Accessed 17-01-2024]

Larsens Marine Surveyors & Consultants Ltd, (2017). “the act of inspecting a ship, its equipment and
components, including the technical, documentary and human elements, at any stage of design,
construction, service or decommissioning”.

Larsens Marine Surveyors & Consultants Ltd, (2017). “a professional person holding appropriate
academic qualifications and/or relevant experience in the inspection of ships, their equipment and
components including the human element”.

The International Association of Marine Warranty Surveyors, (n.d.) IAMWS (International Association of
Marine Warranty Surveyors).

UKGOV (2024), Advice on traveling to Syria. [online] Available at [Link]

advice/syria [Accessed 17/01/2024]
UKGOV (2024), Advice on traveling to PHILLIPPINES. [online] Available at
[Link] [Accessed 17-01-2024]
11 of 11

End of Module

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