Draft Survey Services

BES Africa provides professional, independent Draft Survey services for bulk cargo weight determination at Moroccan ports and across the African continent. A draft survey is the internationally accepted method for measuring the weight of bulk cargo loaded onto or discharged from a vessel — and when conducted by a qualified, experienced surveyor following established procedures, it delivers results accurate to within 0.3–0.5% of actual cargo weight. Our draft surveys are conducted under our ISO 9001:2015 certified quality management system and are accepted by commodity traders, banks, insurers, and port authorities across the world.

➜ Go check certificate: View our ISO 9001:2015, 14001:2015, and 45001:2018 certificates here

What Our Draft Survey Services Includes

• Pre-Cargo Draft Survey (Initial Survey) — Before cargo operations begin, our surveyor reads all six draft marks on the vessel (forward, midship, and aft on both port and starboard), measures the vessel’s trim, list, and density of the surrounding water, and calculates the vessel’s displacement and estimated quantity of cargo on board using the ship’s hydrostatic tables.
• Ballast and Deductible Assessment — We inspect and measure all deductible weights on board — ballast water in tanks, fresh water, fuel oil, diesel, lubricating oils, and constants — with all tank levels carefully documented using the vessel’s calibration tables. Accurate deductible assessment is the most critical factor in draft survey accuracy.
• Post-Cargo Draft Survey (Final Survey) — After loading or discharge is complete, the full draft survey procedure is repeated. The difference between initial and final displacement, minus any changes in deductibles, gives the cargo weight.
• Intermediate Draft Surveys — Where required by the cargo operation or contractual terms, BES Africa can conduct intermediate surveys to track cargo quantities at multiple stages of a loading or discharge operation.
• Waterway Correction — We apply the Newtonian correction to account for the density of the water in which the vessel is floating, which affects displacement calculations. This correction is particularly important in port environments where river water dilutes seawater.
• Draft Survey Certificate and Report — A comprehensive draft survey report and certificate is issued, showing all draft readings, deductible measurements, calculations, and the final cargo weight figure — issued to all nominated parties under our ISO-certified quality system.

When to Use a Draft Survey Services

Draft surveys are the preferred method of bulk cargo weight determination when individual weighing is impractical — which is the case for the vast majority of bulk commodity trades. Coal, grain, fertilizers, minerals, salt, aggregates, and other bulk commodities are routinely traded using draft survey weights as the binding contractual weight. A draft survey conducted by an independent, qualified surveyor like BES Africa provides the neutral weight certification that satisfies all contractual parties, supports letter of credit payment, and provides the evidence base for any weight-related commercial claim.

Industries We Serve

• Bulk commodity traders (coal, grain, minerals, fertilizers, salt)
• Shipping companies and bulk vessel operators
• Port operators and stevedoring companies
• Banks and commodity trade finance institutions
• Cargo insurers and P&I Clubs
• Customs and government weight verification agencies

Our Draft Survey Services Process

1. Pre-survey preparation — Review of vessel particulars, hydrostatic tables, and relevant documents before boarding.
2. Initial draft survey — Full six-point draft reading, trim and list measurement, dock water density measurement, and deductible tank measurements.
3. Monitoring of cargo operations — Optional attendance during loading or discharge to observe operations and note any relevant observations.
4. Final draft survey — Full repeat of all measurements after cargo operations are complete.
5. Calculation and certification — All calculations prepared in accordance with UN/ECE standards, with the draft survey certificate issued promptly.

Coverage and Availability

BES Africa Draft Survey Services cover all major Moroccan ports including Casablanca, Jorf Lasfar, Safi, Agadir, Mohammadia, Tangier, and Nador — and we mobilize across African ports on request. We operate 24/7 to match vessel and port operational schedules.