What Is Surveillance?
Container surveillance is the check of the container's fitness for carriage before loading and the monitoring of stowage, securing and sealing during loading.
Why Is It Done?
The aim is to prevent damage to the cargo in transit and to document the condition at the moment the container is closed. Most container-related damage — wetting, mould, shifting — originates in a shortcoming at the loading stage.
Who Requests It?
- Exporters and importers
- Logistics and freight forwarding companies
- Insurance companies
- Container leasing companies and shipowners
- Commodity traders
Scope of Surveillance
- Container number, type and validity of the CSC plate
- Structural check: holes, cracks, deformation, door seals
- Watertightness check (light test)
- Interior cleanliness, odour and residue from previous cargo
- Floor condition and moisture
- Stowage arrangement and weight distribution
- Securing (lashing) and dunnage material
- Use of desiccant
- Sealing procedure and recording of the seal number
- Pre-cooling and set-point values for refrigerated containers
Related Standards
- ISO/IEC 17020
- ISO 1496 series
- ISO 6346
- IMO/ILO/UNECE CTU Code
- the CSC Convention
Method and Equipment
- Photo and video recording equipment
- Hygrometer and thermometer
- Measuring instruments
- Seal and labelling materials
- Data logger (for long voyages)
Surveillance Process
- 1Appointment and InstructionsThe survey instruction is received in writing: scope, method to be applied, sampling plan, specification and reporting expectations are clarified. The scope of the instruction also sets the limits of the report.
- 2Collection of Shipment DataContract or letter-of-credit terms, the proforma invoice, the packing list and earlier analysis reports are reviewed; the date and place of the survey are planned.
- 3Site PreparationThe surveyor attends the location; warehouse, terminal or vessel conditions and the suitability of weighing and measuring equipment are assessed.
- 4Carrying Out the SurveyQuantity determination, sampling, inspection and the required measurements are performed by the defined method; every step is documented with photographs and records.
- 5Sample HandlingWhere samples are taken they are sealed, labelled and distributed between the parties; a witness sample is retained. If analysis is required, samples are dispatched to the laboratory.
- 6Recording of FindingsAny nonconformity, damage or shortage found is recorded on the spot and reported to the principal.
- 7ReportingThe survey report is issued; its scope and the time and place of the survey are stated explicitly. Where a letter of credit so requires, a survey certificate is issued in the format demanded.
Surveillance Report
- Details of the survey company, the surveyor and the principal
- Date, time and place of the survey
- Description of the goods, batch/lot and reference documents
- Survey method applied and the sampling plan, if any
- Measurement and weighing results, equipment used and its calibration data
- Condition of packaging, marking and stowage
- Nonconformities, shortages or damage found
- Photographic records
- Sample seal numbers and retention details
- Statement of the limits of the survey's scope
- Container number, type and CSC information
- Suitability check findings and photographs
- Stowage and lashing photographs
- Seal number and record of the moment of sealing
- Moisture and temperature measurements
Limits of the Report
A survey report records the condition of the goods AT THE TIME and AT THE PLACE of the survey, and no further. It is not a quality guarantee, a certificate of conformity or an insurance cover. Where the survey is based on sampling, the result represents only the sample drawn; it gives no absolute assurance for the whole lot. Changes arising during handling, transport or storage after the survey fall outside the scope of the report.
Accreditation
Surveillance activities are carried out under ISO/IEC 17020, which requires the impartiality of the survey body, the competence of its personnel and the validity of the survey methods. The impartiality rule is decisive: a survey body may not be a party to the trade in, or the manufacture of, the goods it surveys. EUROLAB holds internationally recognised accreditation under ISO/IEC 17020, granted by accreditation bodies that are signatories to the ILAC mutual recognition arrangement; because accredited scope is defined per type of surveillance, it is confirmed in writing at the quotation stage.
Scope and authorisationsRelated Surveillance Services
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the light test?
It is checked by closing the container doors and looking from the inside to see whether light leaks in from outside. Wherever light gets in, water gets in too; this simple test catches the most common cause of wetting damage in sea transport before loading.
Is desiccant really necessary?
It is necessary for hygroscopic cargoes and long sea voyages. Temperature changes cause condensation inside the container — a phenomenon known as container rain — which drips onto the cargo. Desiccant reduces this risk; its use and quantity are recorded in the report.
Is the surveillance report a quality guarantee?
No, it is not. The report documents the condition found at the time and place of the survey. Changes the goods undergo during subsequent transport, handling and storage are outside the scope of the report, and the surveillance body is not responsible for them.
How is the surveyor's independence ensured?
Surveillance is carried out under ISO/IEC 17020, which requires impartiality and the prevention of conflicts of interest. The surveillance body cannot be a party to the buying or selling of goods it surveys.
How long does it take to issue the report?
Preliminary findings are communicated the same day the fieldwork is completed. The final report depends on the arrival of laboratory results if analysis is required; the timeframe is specified in writing at the quotation stage.