CARGO RELATED DOCUMENTS

CARRIED
ON A BULK CARRIER
Below is a list with short description of the certificates and documents which are related to cargo
expected to be carried in bulk carrier.
1. Hold Inspection Certificate :
The hold or hatch inspection certificate, or preloading survey certificate, is issued by a surveyor after
inspecting the holds to ensure that they are suitable for the intended cargo. It may be a requirement
of the charterparty or local authorities. When a survey is required, loading cannot commence in a
hold until the surveyor has passed it.
2. Mate’s Receipt :
A mate's receipt is a printed form, often with handwritten entries, which acknowledges on behalf of
the ship the receipt of the goods. It contains the quantity, marks, description and apparent condition
of goods received on board and should be available to the Mate before loading commences. He can
use the mate’s receipts:
a) As a pre-advice of what cargo to expect;
b) To plan the stowage of the cargo; and
c) To note on them any cargo defects, shortages, etc.
The mate signs each receipt, when the cargo covered by it is actually received on board. It is then
passed on with his accurate comments to the shipper, who then exchanges it for the bill of lading
from the agent or shipowner.
Mate’s Receipt :
A mate’s receipt is a receipt, issued and signed by the carrying ship’s Chief Mate (or the
ship’s agent on his behalf), for goods received on board.
They are often the ship owner’s first line of defence in defending a cargo claim for
damage or shortage. Therefore it is essential that the receipts are accurate and
correctly reflect the quantity and condition of the cargo received on board.
Often, it is not possible to verify the condition of the contents within the packaging; rice
may be infested and coffee may be mouldy, for example. The best the ship’s staff can
do, is to be vigilant and exercise due diligence. If there is a problem, this should be
drawn to the attention of the shipper or charterer. The Mate’s Receipt should be signed
in good faith and endorsed, “…. Quality, condition, contents and value unknown……”
It is the document on which the details entered on the Bill of Lading are based; the
information on both Mate’s Receipt and Bill of Lading should therefore be identical.
In ports and trades where mate’s receipt are used, the shipper must usually present the
signed mate’s receipt to the agent in order to be issued with the signed set of Original
Bills of Lading before the vessel sails.
It is not a document of title to the goods shipped and does not pass any title by its
endorsement or transfer.
It will normally be on the shipowner’s form, in a triplicate pad or book kept on
board, The original should be given to the person delivering the goods to the ship, a
copy should go to the agent, and a second copy should be retained in the pad on
the ship for comparing with bills of lading before signature, and for use in compiling
the cargo plan.
It may be encountered in virtually any conventional trade (general cargo, dry bulk
or tanker), but has been replaced in the liner trades (i,.e. container and ro-ro
shipping) by a more modern document, the Standard Shipping Note.
3. Authorization to Sign Bills of Lading :
Under the terms of many time charter parties and voyage charter parties the owners
transfer the authority to sign bills of lading to the charterers or their agent, thereby
cancelling the authority normally held by the Master. Where the agent signs bills of
lading on behalf of the Master, the Master should ensure that the agent receives
appropriate instructions in the form of a pre-drafted authorization.
4. Bills of Lading :
A bill of lading may perform three functions:
a) It provides evidence of the terms of the contract for the receipt, carriage and
delivery of the cargo.
b) It is often a negotiable document of title to goods carried, providing evidence of
ownership of the cargo, and
c) It acts as a receipt of cargo loaded aboard the vessel.
Before signing the bill of lading, the master shall ensure that:
i. The goods are actually shipped on board and the bill of lading is correctly dated.
ii. The description of the goods complies with the mate’s receipts, failing which the
bill of lading should be claused.
iii. That he only ever signs the same number of originals as is shown on the face of
the bill of lading.
iv. The bill of lading contains a clause referring to any relevant charter party, and
includes the protection clauses specified in that charter party. If in doubt, the
Master should consult the owners.
The information in a B/L, includes names and addresses of the shipper and
the receiver, the ports of loading and destination, the marks, description and
weight or volume of the cargo, freight paid or payable and date of loading. The
reverse of the B/L contains the T & Cs of carriage.
The B/L must be appropriately claused w.r.t. the weight and condition
of the cargo. Where it is not possible to determine these, the B/L shall contain
terms like “said to contain”, “said to weigh”, “shipper’s weight”, “in apparent good
order or condition” and so on.
Bill of Lading :
(Charter Party Bill of Lading – a bill of lading to be used with a charter party. It refers to
the terms and conditions as set out in the charter party: e.g. the “Congenbill”, to be used
with a charter party and adopted by BIMCO.
The Congenbill Charter Party Bill of Lading can be used wide range cargo that does not
need special handling. Because of this reason it is one of the most popular Charter Party
Bill of Lading (CPBL) in use.
(BIMCO - is a well established international shipping association and its long form is also
known as “The Baltic and International Maritime Council”.)
The CONGENBILL is a charter party bill of lading for shipments of general cargo under
the GENCON charter party.
The GENCON (General Charter Conditions) charter party is the most common standard
voyage charterparty form used worldwide.
GENCON is a standard voyage charter party. It is a general purpose agreement for the
services of a ship in exchange for freight and can be used in a variety of trades. It is
accompanied by its own bill of lading, CONGENBILL 2016. ... Copyright in GENCON 1994
is held by BIMCO.
The Master should not get persuaded to sign a clean bill of lading against the offer of a
letter of indemnity as this is an incorrect practice that has no legal standing. The
shipowner will not be able to escape his liability for cargo claims. The B/L
being a negotiable document may change hands several times before it reaches the party
who will claim and take delivery of the goods. The party expects the goods to be as
described in the B/L, hence any deficiencies not mentioned therein will be ascribed to the
shipowners neglect and claims raised accordingly.
5. Cargo Manifest :
A cargo manifest is issued by the shippers in the loading port and is based upon the
information contained in the Bills of Lading. It is prepared primarily for customs purposes,
but comes in handy in terms of stowage, over carriage, etc. It provides brief details of the
ship and the loading and discharge ports and lists details of the cargo carried. Details
include the B/L numbers, contents, gross weight and freight.
6. Dangerous Cargo Manifest :
It is issued by the shippers in compliance with the regulations which apply at the loading
port. The document states the quantity of hazardous material carried and certifies that it
is properly named, prepared and otherwise in proper condition for shipment. The name
and description of the hazardous material as given in the
Cargo Manifest : Dangerous Cargo Manifest :
IMO DANGEROUS GOODS DECLARATION :
IMO DANGEROUS GOODS DECLARATION :
Dangerous Cargo Manifest, should be used to confirm the stowage requirements for
the cargo, as stated in the IMSBC Code and/or IMDG Code. The Master, should satisfy
himself, that the stated quantities and position are correct and that the cargo has
been stowed in accordance with the requirements of the codes.
7. Stowage Plan :
Also known as the cargo plan or the hold distribution plan, shows the commodity,
tonnage or quantity of cargo in each hold and the ports of loading and discharge. It is
generally prepared by the Chief Officer. The plan is not to scale and enables the
receiver to plan for discharge. Different colours may be used to differentiate between
ports of discharge. The deck and tween decks may be represented as a plan or bird’s
eye view and the cargo in the lower holds shown in an elevation or side view.
8. Declaration by Shipper :
It is made in compliance with the requirements of SOLAS that before loading the
shipper should provide to the master full details, of any bulk cargo including any
hazards, so that the Master can make decisions w.r.t., the safety precautions for
loading and carriage of the cargo.
Stowage Plan :
Stowage Plan :
Stowage Plan :
Shipper’s Declaration :
Shipper’s Declaration : (Continued)
Notice of Readiness : Declaration by Shipper :
9. Certificate of Transportable Moisture Limit :
The transportable moisture limit of a cargo which may liquefy is the maximum safe moisture
content of the cargo when carried in a bulk carrier. Practically, this figure is normally included in the
declaration by shipper.
10. Certificate of Moisture Content :
The moisture content of a sample of cargo is the quantity of water, ice or other liquid which the
sample contains, expressed as a percentage of the total wet mass of that sample. In practice, this
figure is included in the shipper’s declaration.
11. Certificate of Lashing :
The master may be required to sign a certificate of lashing to state that the securing of a timber
deck cargo or a cargo of steel coils or other cargo which requires lashing has been carried out to his
satisfaction.
12. Master’s Response Sheet :
This document is issued by some coal shippers to encourage Masters to comply with the
recommendation of the IMSBC Code. Such reports will enable the shipper to maintain records on
the behaviour of the coal cargoes, as experienced by the Master for the benefit of other Masters
carrying coal cargoes.
Certificate of Transportable Moisture Certificate of Moisture Content :
Limit & Moisture Content :
Master’s Response Sheet :
13. Phytosanitary Certificate :
This certificate may be required during the carriage of plant or plant products like,
grain, seeds and fruits. Phytosanitary certificates are issued by inspectors in the
exporting country to certify the requirement of the plant health regulations of the
importing country has been met.
14. Certificate of Origin :
The certificate of origin, is often issued by a government department, stating the
country of origin of the cargo. In some cases, authorities will accept ship’s cargo
manifest as evidence of the origin of the cargo.
15. Certificate of Readiness to Load :
The certificate of readiness to load is issued by the marine authorities in respect of
cargoes of grain and concentrates and timber deck cargoes, each of which has
special loading requirements. The certificate is issued after satisfactory inspections
of cargo spaces and preloading calculations and contains reminders of restrictions
that must be imposed upon loading.
Phytosanitary Certificate : Certificate of Origin :
Certificate of Readiness to Load :
16. Certificate of Fitness to Proceed to Sea :
The certificate of fitness to proceed to sea follows the certificate of readiness to
load, being issued by the marine authorities after satisfactory completion of
loading of a cargo of grain or concentrates, or a timber deck cargo. The certificate
records the manner in which the cargo has been stowed and provides reminders of
precautions which must be taken during the voyage. It also contains details of the
vessel's draft, trim, weights carried and stability on sailing.
17.Certificate of Loading :
A certificate of loading (bulk grain only) is issued in certain countries e.g., in the
USA by the National Cargo Bureau to certify that a cargo of bulk grain has been
loaded as per regulations.
18. Certificate of Fumigation :
A certificate of fumigation is issued by the relevant agricultural or other responsible
authority and provides details of the fumigation of cargo. A certificate of fumigation
is required for two reasons:
Certificate of Fitness to Proceed to Sea : Certificate of Loading :
Certificate of Weight and Quality :
Certificate of Fumigation :
(a) It will satisfy the local department of agriculture at the port of discharge that the
cargo is free of infestation, and
(b) It provides the information which enables an authorized chemist to carry out a gas
free test.
20. Hatch Sealing Certificate :
Cargo hatches may be sealed to prevent theft of cargo or because the holds have been
fumigated and are unsafe to enter. When hatches have been sealed by a shore based
organization, a certificate recording the fact is usually issued, listing the compartments
which have been sealed and the type and serial number of the seal used.
21. Statement of Facts :
A statement of facts (SOF), sometimes known as a port log, is prepared by the ship's
agents in each loading and each discharging port. It is intended to provide a full record
of the times of those events which may be required for the preparation of the laytime
statement and which may affect claims for dispatch and demurrage or for offhire.
Hatch Sealing Certificate :
Statement of Facts :
Following information is detailed in the SOF:
• Arrival of vessel at pilot station, the anchorage and the berth.
• Time of pilot boarding and the arrival of tugs.
• Tendering and receipt of notice of readiness.
• Clearing of the holds by the pre-loading surveyor.
• Periods of loading and discharging should be recorded.
• Times of stoppages with their reasons.
• Weather which interrupts cargo work and adverse weather noted at any other time.
• Cargo tonnage, bunker figure and draughts.
• Time of fumigation and any other delays.
• Time of sailing.
The Master should check the accuracy of the SOF before he signs it. He should insist on
correction of the SOF when it is inaccurate, or should add remarks stating the correct facts if
the agent refuses to amend the document to his satisfaction.
22. Letter of Protest :
A letter of protest is a document used to provide a written record of a dispute. The master
should write a letter of protest whenever he considers that shippers, stevedores or any other
parties are responsible for an event or circumstance which will cause a loss to the ship.
The master is liable to receive a letter of protest if
the vessel fails in some way to perform in accordance with the charter party. A letter of protest
may be accepted after appropriately clausing it.
23. Empty Hold Certificate :
When there is any doubt as to the outturn of the cargo—for example, if the receiver is claiming
that his cargo has been short-landed, the master can issue an empty hold certificate. Such a
certificate will say that all cargo has been discharged and that the holds have been emptied.
The stevedore supervisor will be asked to confirm that there is no cargo remaining on board.
24. Trimming Certificate/Certificate of Loading/Discharging :
This is a document which the master may be asked to sign to confirm that he is satisfied with
the manner in which the cargo has been trimmed.
Letter of Protest : Empty Hold Certificate :
Trimming Certificate :
The certificate of fitness to proceed to sea issued by port warden, coast guard or similar
authority also testifies the trimming of cargo, but the trimming certificate is issued by
the Master, not the authorities. The certificate of loading/discharging goes further and
requires the Master or chief mate to state that the cargo has been properly loaded,
stowed, trimmed and separations laid according to the signatory’s satisfaction.
25. Certificate of Compliance with Exemptions to Trade Sanctions :
When trade sanctions have been imposed on a country, it may still be allowed to import
certain essential commodities such as food and medicines. Ships carrying such
exempted cargoes will be required to produce a certificate of compliance issued by the
exporting governments to the authorities enforcing the sanctions to demonstrate that
the cargo qualifies for exemption. A UN approval certificate may also be required with
this certificate.
26. UN Approval Certificate :
It is a letter from a UN official to the government of a country which proposes to export
exempted goods to a country which is the subject of UN sanctions. This certificate is
provided so that it can be produced to the naval ships operating the blockades against
country which is suffering sanctions.
UN Approval Certificate :
27. Stevedores’ Time Sheet :
The stevedores' time sheet normally shows the number of gangs employed, the hatches
worked and times and reasons for stoppages. If asked to counter-sign this document the
master should, of course, ensure that it is correct. Alternatively, he can sign ‘for receipt
only’.
28. Clean Ballast Discharge Permit :
This document is nowadays widely used in many parts of the world. This certificate
authorizes the vessel to discharge clean ballast in the port limits and stipulates the
conditions which must be observed whilst ballast is being discharged. The permits is issued
by the port authorities following application from the ship’s agent and a copy has to be
posted at the ship’s gangway with a record of ‘checks and condition of discharged’.
29. Paint Compliance Certificate :
If holds have been repainted shortly before a cargo of grain or other foodstuffs is to be
loaded the shippers may demand to see a compliance certificate issued by an independent
laboratory, states that all the materials used to make the paint are approved for the use on
surfaces which are in contact with food products.
Clean Ballast Discharge Permit :
Paint Compliance Report :
30. Stevedores Damage Form :
These documents are issued by Master, to hold stevedores responsible for damage
to ship or cargo.
31. Certificate of IMO Classification :
A certificate of IMO classification of a cargo must be issued to the Master by the
shipper before shipment of a cargo which is listed in the IMDG Code. Copies of the
certificate of IMO classification may be required by the receiver and by the port
authority in the port of discharge or the ports visited en route.
32. Certificate of Compliance/IMSBC Code Fitness Certificate :
These certificates issued by an Administration or Classification Society on behalf of
an administration to every ship constructed since 1st September, 1984, state that
the dry bulk cargoes that the ship is permitted to carry. In addition to listing
permitted cargoes the certificates or their supporting documents, list the
conditions that must be satisfied and equipment that must be if the certificate is to
remain valid. This certificate for the carriage of dangerous goods must be renewed
at each periodical survey.
33. Hatch Closing Certificate :
This is issued by an attending surveyor, reports on hatch covers which appear to be
in good condition and which have been properly closed, and has provisions for
recording hatch covers or fittings which appear to be defective, or which have not
been properly closed. The Master or chief mate, when countersigning the
document can, if necessary, insert a remark rejecting the report.
34. No Damage Certificate :
In some countries, particularly India, the Master will be required to sign a “No
Damage Certificate” releasing the stevedores from liability after completion of
discharge. The ship may be prevented to sail until the certificate has been signed, in
that case Masters can sign the certificate with endorsement ‘without prejudice’.
DOCUMENTS TO BE SIGNED BY THE MATE :
These include:
1. Mate’s Receipt
2. Stowage Plan.
3. Certificate of lashing (on behalf of Master)
4. Letter of Protest (on behalf of Master)
5. Empty hold certificate (for cargo receiver, on behalf of Master)
6. Trimming Certificate / Certificate of loading/discharging (on behalf of Master)
7. Stevedore’s Damage Form (on behalf of Master)
8. Stevedore’s Time Sheet (on behalf of Master)
9. No Damage Certificate (on behalf of Master)
10. Statement of Facts (issued by ship’s agent, to be confirmed with comments, on
behalf of Master)