Vessel Types

Vessel Types We Attend at U.S. Ports

Survey attendance on bulk carriers, crude, product and chemical tankers, container ships, general cargo, multipurpose and heavy-lift vessels, ro-ro vessels and barges at Gulf Coast ports.

Which vessel types does Amica Marine attend?

Amica Marine attends bulk carriers, crude oil and product tankers, chemical tankers, container ships, general cargo, multipurpose and heavy-lift vessels, ro-ro vessels and barges at U.S. ports. LNG and LPG carrier attendance is assessed case by case because of specialized measurement and terminal requirements.

The vessel type determines how a survey is carried out. A draft survey on a Capesize bulk carrier, an OBQ inspection on a crude tanker and a lashing check on a heavy-lift ship use different methods, equipment and documents. The table below summarizes the vessel types we attend and the surveys most often requested on each.

Vessel types and typical survey situations
Vessel type	Typical cargoes	Common surveys	Typical situations
Bulk carriers	Grain, coal, petcoke, fertilizer, ore, steel	Draft, hold inspection, condition, bunker, cargo damage	Grain loading on the Mississippi, coal at Mobile, on/off-hire
Crude and product tankers	Crude oil, gasoline, diesel, jet fuel, fuel oil	Tanker cargo, OBQ/ROB, sampling, bunker	Crude exports at Corpus Christi, products in Houston
Chemical tankers	Aromatics, alcohols, glycols, caustic soda, vegetable oils	Tank inspection, wall wash, first-foot sampling	Multi-parcel loading on the Houston Ship Channel
LNG and LPG carriers	Liquefied natural gas, propane, butane, ammonia	Assessed case by case	Sabine Pass, Corpus Christi, Cameron, Freeport terminals
Container ships	Containerized general and reefer cargo	Container cargo damage, P&I, stevedore damage	Bayport, Barbours Cut, Napoleon Avenue, Mobile
General cargo, multipurpose and heavy-lift	Steel, project cargo, machinery, breakbulk	Project cargo, tally, supervision, damage	Steel discharge in Houston and Mobile, project cargo loading
Ro-ro vessels	Vehicles, rolling equipment	Cargo damage, condition, stevedore damage	Galveston, Freeport
Barges and coastal vessels	Grain, coal, liquids, project cargo	Draft, condition, quantity, damage	Mississippi River fleeting, ship-to-barge transfers

What surveys are carried out on bulk carriers?

Bulk carriers typically receive hold cleanliness and hatch cover inspections before loading, initial and final draft surveys, on-hire and off-hire condition and bunker surveys, and cargo damage surveys when grain, coal, fertilizer or steel arrives wet, contaminated or short.

Bulk carriers calling at the Lower Mississippi, Houston, Corpus Christi and Mobile load grain, coal and petroleum coke and discharge steel raw materials, fertilizers and cement. See dry bulk cargo surveys, draft surveys and vessel condition surveys.

What surveys are carried out on tankers?

Crude, product and chemical tankers receive cargo quantity surveys with ullage, temperature and free water measurement, OBQ and ROB inspections, sampling and ship/shore reconciliation, plus tank cleanliness inspections and wall wash tests on chemical tankers, and bunker surveys during the same call.

Tankers at Corpus Christi, Houston, Texas City, Port Arthur, Lake Charles and the Mississippi River terminals make up a large share of Gulf Coast survey work. See tanker cargo surveys and chemical cargo surveys.

What surveys are carried out on container ships and general cargo vessels?

Container ships and general cargo vessels receive cargo damage surveys, stevedore damage surveys and P&I attendances, while multipurpose and heavy-lift vessels receive project cargo surveys covering lifting, stowage and lashing, and tally and condition surveys for steel and breakbulk.

See cargo damage surveys, breakbulk and project cargo surveys and P&I club surveys.

Questions about vessel types

These answers cover common questions about which vessel types Amica Marine attends at U.S. ports and which surveys apply to each. For a specific vessel call, contact us 24/7 at 404-390-2132 or info@amicamarine.com.

Do you attend LNG carriers?

LNG carrier attendance is assessed case by case because cargo measurement relies on specialized custody transfer systems and terminal procedures. Send the vessel and terminal details for confirmation.

Do you survey barges on the Mississippi River?

Yes, for suitable scopes such as draft, condition and cargo damage surveys, including barge-to-ship transfers at midstream buoys.

Can you survey offshore support vessels?

Yes, for condition and on-hire or off-hire surveys, for example at Port Fourchon. Send the vessel and berth details for confirmation.

Do you inspect cranes on multipurpose vessels?

We record crane and cargo gear condition and certificates in condition and project cargo surveys. Load testing and certification are carried out by the competent authority or class.

24/7 survey inquiries

404-390-2132
info@amicamarine.com

Need a marine surveyor at a U.S. port?

Send the vessel name, port, ETA and survey type. We respond to survey inquiries 24/7 and coordinate surveyor attendance at major U.S. seaports on the Gulf, Atlantic and Pacific coasts.