Insights · Marine surveys

On-Hire and Off-Hire Surveys: How to Avoid Disputes at Redelivery

Ahmet Baha Baktır · Marine Surveyor, former ship's captain · 12 November 2026

Most charter disputes about damage and bunkers come down to one question: what was the condition of the ship at delivery? Without an independent record, every dent, every crack and every tonne of fuel becomes an argument at redelivery.

What an on-hire survey records

• Bunkers on board: fuel oil and gas oil quantities by tank soundings, with temperatures, densities and full calculation sheets.
• Hull and structure: existing damage to shell plating, holds, hatch covers and deck fittings, located and photographed.
• Cargo spaces: cleanliness and condition of holds or tanks, which matters when the charterer's first cargo has strict requirements.
• Cargo gear and equipment: cranes, grabs and lashing equipment that the charterer will use.

What an off-hire survey adds

At redelivery the same items are checked again and compared with the on-hire report. New damage, missing equipment and bunker differences are identified clearly, which is what owners and charterers need to settle accounts quickly.

Joint survey or separate surveyors?

A joint survey, where one surveyor acts for both owner and charterer and both sign the report, is often the fastest and cheapest route. Where the parties prefer separate surveyors, both reports should use the same tank tables, sounding method and photo locations so the figures can be compared.

Common causes of disputes

1. Bunker figures taken with different trim, list or temperature corrections.
2. Damage described without location, size or photographs.
3. Surveys carried out after cargo operations have already started.
4. No record of who attended and who signed.

Practical tips

• Book the surveyor early, before arrival, so attendance does not delay delivery.
• Ask for soundings to be witnessed by a ship's officer and recorded on the same sheet.
• Make sure every damage item has a frame number or clear reference and a photograph.
• Keep the on-hire report with the charter party file; it is your evidence at redelivery.

A clear on-hire and off-hire record costs far less than a disputed redelivery. It protects both sides and lets the commercial teams close the voyage without argument.

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