Cargo Surveys & Inspections
Independent verification of cargo condition, handling and quantity at ports, terminals, warehouses and transport units. We deliver accurate, unbiased reports suitable for insurance, legal and commercial purposes.
Inspection scope
- Pre-shipment / pre-loading inspections
- Loading & discharge supervision
- Cargo condition surveys
- Quantity & weight verification
- Draft surveys (when applicable)
- Sampling & laboratory coordination
Container & cargo checks
- Container inspections (dry & reefer)
- Temperature-controlled cargo checks
- Seal verification & cargo security checks
- General and bulk cargo inspections
- Cargo stowage & securing verification
Reporting & documentation
Each assignment includes professional documentation — photos, observations, and measurements when applicable — with a clear conclusion. Reports delivered in PDF format, suitable for insurance and legal purposes.
Damage & Loss Investigations
Professional damage surveys and investigations with clear evidence and reporting suitable for insurance and legal handling. We establish facts independently — no commercial interests on either side.
Survey types
- Cargo damage assessments
- Transport damage inspections (truck / trailer / container)
- Warehouse damage investigations
- Joint surveys with stakeholders (when required)
Investigation & reporting
- Cause-of-loss analysis (handling, temperature, moisture, impact)
- Liability & responsibility investigations (facts-based)
- Photographic documentation
- Insurance-grade reporting
Reporting & documentation
Reports are structured for insurance and legal submission — clear cause-of-loss conclusion, photographic evidence, and observations formatted for claims processing.
Marine & Vessel Surveys
Vessel condition and operational inspections supporting owners, charterers and stakeholders with independent reporting — covering bulk carriers, tankers, and commercial vessels at all major Norwegian ports.
Vessel inspections
- Cargo hold cleanliness inspections
- Hull & equipment condition checks
- Vessel damage inspections
- Shipboard cargo inspections
Compliance & specialised
- MARPOL Annex II inspections (NMA authorized)
- Cargo tank condition checks
- Pre-flag-state & pre-class preparation support
Reporting & documentation
Independent condition reports suitable for charter agreements, compliance, and insurance submissions. Full photographic record included.
Pre-Purchase Surveys — All Vessel Types
Independent pre-purchase inspections for buyers of commercial vessels, fishing boats, leisure boats, and yachts. Before you commit to a purchase, we provide an honest, evidence-based assessment of the vessel's condition — protecting your investment and your insurance position.
Why a pre-purchase survey matters
A vessel looks different to a trained surveyor than to a seller. We attend the vessel on your behalf as an impartial third party, identify defects and risks, and report findings clearly so you can negotiate, walk away, or proceed with confidence. Reports are also accepted by Norwegian insurers for new policy underwriting.
Vessel types covered
- Commercial ships (bulk carriers, tankers, general cargo)
- Fishing vessels & workboats
- Motor yachts and sailing yachts
- Leisure boats & cabin cruisers
- Used vessels of all sizes and ages
What we inspect
- Hull condition (above and below waterline where accessible)
- Deck, superstructure & structural integrity
- Main engine, auxiliaries & propulsion
- Electrical systems, batteries & wiring
- Navigation & communication equipment
- Safety equipment & firefighting systems
- Steering, rudder, propeller & shaft (where accessible)
- Tanks, plumbing & sanitation
- Documentation review (registration, certificates, service history)
What you receive
- Comprehensive written condition report (PDF)
- Detailed photographic record of findings
- Clear list of defects, risks, and recommended actions
- Independent opinion suitable for price negotiation
- Documentation accepted by insurers and finance providers
When to request
- Before signing a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA)
- Before final payment on a used vessel purchase
- For insurance underwriting on a new acquisition
- For finance / bank requirements on vessel purchase
- For any "as is, where is" sale where condition is unclear
Independent & impartial — always on the buyer's side
VMCS-AS holds no commercial interest in any sale. We work for you, the buyer. Our job is to tell you exactly what you are buying — including the things the seller may not have mentioned.
Bunker Surveys — Quantity & Quality
Independent bunker quantity and sampling surveys at Norwegian ports and offshore terminals. We protect charterers, owners, and operators from disputes over bunker stems by establishing accurate figures and representative samples — onboard and at the supplying barge or shore facility.
Why an independent bunker surveyor
Bunker disputes often come down to one thing: who has independent, contemporaneous evidence of the stem. We attend the operation as an impartial third party — measuring tanks before and after, witnessing line displacements and meter readings, and drawing MARPOL-compliant samples — so the figures and samples are defensible if a dispute arises later.
Bunker quantity surveys (BQS)
- Pre- and post-bunkering tank gauging
- Sounding / ullage measurements with temperature
- Volume correction to standard temperature (15°C)
- Mass calculation from volume & density
- Witness of supplier meter readings
- Verification of Bunker Delivery Note (BDN) figures
- Issuance of independent quantity certificate
Bunker sampling & quality
- MARPOL-compliant sampling at the manifold
- Continuous drip sampling during transfer
- Sample sealing & chain-of-custody documentation
- Coordination with accredited fuel testing laboratories
- Witnessing of joint samples (supplier / receiver)
- Retained samples for dispute resolution
Where we attend
- Vessels alongside Norwegian ports
- Offshore terminals & STS operations (on request)
- Onboard barge bunker deliveries
- Shore-tank truck-to-vessel transfers
Disputes & ROB / BROB surveys
- Remaining-on-board (ROB) surveys before / after charter
- Bunker-on-board (BROB) verification
- Quantity dispute investigations
- Fuel quality complaint support & sample retrieval
Reporting & documentation
Each bunker survey is delivered as an independent PDF report with all measurement figures, calculation sheets, photographic record, and sealed sample documentation — formatted to support charter-party clauses and any subsequent dispute resolution.
On-Hire & Off-Hire Inspections
Independent condition and bunker inspections at the start and end of a charter — protecting both owner and charterer by establishing the agreed condition of the vessel, holds, tanks, and bunker quantities at the moment of delivery and redelivery.
Why on/off-hire surveys matter
Most charter-party disputes — over hold cleanliness, vessel damage, or bunker quantity at redelivery — are decided by what the on-hire and off-hire reports recorded. An independent surveyor attending both ends of the charter creates a clear, defensible record of vessel condition and bunkers, accepted by both parties and by their P&I and H&M underwriters.
On-hire inspection scope
- General vessel condition & cleanliness
- Cargo holds / tanks readiness inspection
- Hatch covers, cranes, derricks (where applicable)
- Hull, deck and superstructure condition
- Existing damage record with photographs
- Bunkers on-board (BROB) quantity survey
- Lub-oil and fresh water ROB (on request)
- Stores, spares and certificates verification
Off-hire inspection scope
- Vessel condition at redelivery
- Cargo holds / tanks final cleanliness check
- New damage identification (vs. on-hire baseline)
- Hatch covers and equipment condition
- Bunkers on-board (BROB) at redelivery
- Lub-oil and fresh water ROB
- Comparison report with on-hire findings
- Joint survey coordination (owner / charterer)
Vessel types covered
- Bulk carriers
- Tankers (oil, chemical, product)
- General cargo & multipurpose vessels
- Container vessels
When to nominate us
- At delivery under a time charter
- At redelivery from a time charter
- For voyage charter intermediate inspections
- When holds need confirmed cleanliness for next cargo
- When P&I or H&M underwriters require attendance
Reporting & documentation
On-hire and off-hire reports are structured for charter-party use: condition statement, photographic evidence of all damage, bunker / lub-oil / fresh water ROB figures, and a clear conclusion. Off-hire reports include a direct comparison against the on-hire baseline so any disputes are settled on facts.
Terminal Operations
Independent supervision and inspection services at oil terminals and shore facilities — covering loading, discharge, measurement, and incident investigations with accurate, unbiased reporting.
Terminal services
- Loading and discharge witnessing
- Operations supervision
- Shore tank measurement & sampling
- Incident investigation
Tanker operations
- Pre-shipment inspections
- Cargo loading and discharge surveys
- Quantity assessments
- Sampling and laboratory analysis
- Onshore and offshore bunker surveys
- Damage and loss investigations
Reporting & documentation
Terminal and tanker operation reports include quantity figures, measurement data, photographic evidence, and a clear conclusion suitable for commercial and insurance purposes.
Logistics & Warehouse Inspections
Independent inspections across storage and logistics operations to reduce loss and support claims when issues occur. We cover facilities, stock condition, cold storage, and distribution centers across Norway.
Storage & stock
- Warehouse stock & storage condition surveys
- Packaging & labeling verification
- Pallet & stacking inspections
- Cold storage inspections
Facility & operations
- Distribution center audits
- Terminal / facility inspections (on request)
Reporting & documentation
Facility and stock condition reports suitable for insurance claims, loss prevention, and operational audit purposes.
Insurance & Claims Support
Independent third-party verification and structured documentation to support insurance claims and disputes. We work with insurers, law firms, and claimants requiring unbiased professional reporting.
Claims support services
- Independent third-party inspections
- Loss verification reports
- Evidence collection for claims
- Claim validation surveys
- Support for law firms and insurers (documentation)
Reporting & documentation
All reports are structured for insurance and legal submission. PDF format, photographic evidence, and observations formatted to support claims processing and dispute resolution.
Commercial & Industrial Goods Inspections
Inspection of a wide range of goods outside traditional marine cargo — including high-value, sensitive and temperature-critical products across all industries.
Goods categories
- Machinery & industrial equipment inspections
- Pharmaceutical and medical cargo checks
- Food products and fruit cargo inspections
- Construction materials condition checks
- High-value goods verification
When to request
- Before accepting delivery of high-value goods
- Insurance pre-survey of equipment
- Temperature-critical product verification
- Damage claim on commercial shipment
Reporting & documentation
Reports suitable for insurance, legal, and commercial purposes. Each report includes photographic evidence and a clear conclusion on condition and compliance.
MARPOL Annex II Inspections
Officially authorized by the Norwegian Maritime Authority (Sjøfartsdirektoratet) to conduct MARPOL Annex II prewash inspections on tankers carrying noxious liquid substances at Norwegian ports and offshore terminals.
Norwegian Maritime Authority Authorization
Approved by Sjøfartsdirektoratet to conduct mandatory prewash inspections on all tankers carrying noxious liquid substances (Category X, Y, and Z) that require prewash in Norwegian ports or offshore terminals.
Who needs this
- Tankers carrying Category X, Y, Z substances
- Vessels calling at Norwegian ports
- Offshore terminal operators
- Vessel owners / managers requiring compliance documentation
What we provide
- Pre-wash inspection & supervision
- Compliance verification per MARPOL Annex II
- Official inspection certificate / report
- Fast response — available across Norway
Laboratory Sample Transport
Specialized express transport service for laboratory samples — timely, secure, and handled by a professional who understands the critical importance of sample integrity for accurate results.
Service details
- Express delivery for time-critical laboratory samples
- Secure, professionally handled transport
- Available across Norway and abroad
- Chain-of-custody maintained throughout transit
- Coordination with receiving laboratories
Why use this service?
Cargo surveys often require sampling and lab analysis. We handle the full chain — sampling onsite and express transport to the laboratory — keeping everything under one reliable professional.
Drug & Alcohol Testing Service
Supporting vessel owners, managers and operators in maintaining a safe and compliant working environment for their crew. Random and scheduled testing conducted impartially onboard.
Testing services
- Surprise / random testing onboard vessels
- Scheduled crew compliance testing
- Impartial, third-party administration
- Accurate, documented results
Who this is for
- Vessel owners & managers
- Ship operators & crew agencies
- Maritime companies with safety compliance obligations
Reporting & documentation
All test results are documented and provided in a structured report suitable for internal compliance records and any regulatory requirements.