Draft Surveys

A draft survey is a means of determining the weight of any materials being loaded into (or discharged from) a vessel. ORCA, with its team of experienced and highly qualified professionals, offers draft survey services and produces independent draft survey reports.

The vessel draft survey involves measuring the displacement of water before and after the loading or unloading process. The variance between these two displacements represents the weight of the cargo. Our surveyors adhere to established international guidelines when determining cargo weight and consider several key factors during their surveys. These factors include:

• Water density of the sea, river or other waterway
• Changes in the ballast quantity between initial and final draft readings
• Changes in the vessel’s consumables (e.g. fuel oil, drinking water) between initial and final draft readings
• Trim and deformation corrections (we use data from the vessel’s draft tables)