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CARGO DOCUMENTS

DOCUMENTS Submitted by the SHIPPERS

1. Mates Receipt (prepared by the Shipper via their Agent, but signed by Chief Mate or
Master).
2. Bill of Lading (prepared by the Shipper or their agents, but signed by Master).
3. Declaration by Shipper (issued by the Shippers, is made in compliance with the
recommendations of the BC Code).
4. Certificate of Transportable Moisture Limit (issued by the Shippers, is the maximum
safe moisture content of the cargo when carried in a conventional bulk carrier).
5. Certificate of Moisture Content (issued by the Shippers, is the actual moisture content
of a sample of cargo to be loaded, expressed as a percentage of the total wet mass of the
sample).
6. Masters Response Sheet (issued by some coal shippers to encourage masters to comply
with recommendation 3.12 of the coal section of the BC Code. Master should be
encouraged to complete and return these forms to report any unexpected experiences with
coal cargoes.)
7. Certificate of IMO Classification (issued by the Shipper before shipment of cargo
which is listed in the IMDG Code).
8. Cargo Manifest (issued by the Shippers or their agent in the loading port and is based
upon the information contained in the B/L).
9. Dangerous Cargo Manifest (issued by the Shippers or their agents in compliance with
the regulations which apply at the loading port).

DOCUMENTS Submitted by the AGENTS

10. Statement of Fact (prepared by the Ships agent in each loading and discharging port, to
be signed by the Master).

DOCUMENTS Submitted by the STEVEDORING CO.

11. Certificate of Lashing (issued by Stevedoring Co. for cargo which requires lashing).
12. Stowage Plan (issued by someone from the loading installation).
13. Trimming Certificate (issued by the Stevedoring Co., to be signed by the Master that he
is satisfied with the manner in which the cargo has been trimmed).
14. Stevedores Time Sheet (issued by the Stevedoring Co., to be signed by the Master).

DOCUMENTS Submitted by the OTHERS:

PORT AUTHORITIES, ETC.

15. Phytosanitary Certificate (issued by inspector from the Ministry of Agriculture to meet
a Plant Health Regulations of import state).
16. Certificate of Compliance with Exemptions to Trade Sanctions (issued by Exporting
Government for countries, which has been imposed a trade sanctions).
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17. UN Approved Certificate (issued by Exporting Government to a country which is the

subject of UN sanctions).
18. Certificate of Origin (issued by government department, states the country of origin of
the cargo).
19. Certificate of Readiness to Load (issued by the Canadian Coast Guard, the National
Cargo Bureau in the USA, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, in respects of cargo of
grain and concentrates and timber deck cargo, each of which has special loading
requirements before their loading after satisfactory inspection of the cargo spaces and the
pre-loading calculations).
20. Certificate of Fitness to Proceed to Sea (issued by the Marine Authorities after
satisfactory completion of loading of a cargo of grain or concentrates, or a timber deck
cargo).
21. Certificate of Loading (issued by the NCB in the USA to certify that a cargo of bulk
grain has been loaded in accordance with the USCG regulations).
22. Certificate of Fumigation (issued by the relevant agricultural or other responsible
authority at the loading port, provides details of the fumigation of cargo, and/or cargo or
other spaces).
23. Material Safety Data Sheet (issued in the USA, provide detailed information about
hazardous cargoes).
24. Hatch Sealing Certificate (issued by shorebased organization).
25. Clean Ballast Discharge Permit (issued by the Port Authorities/warden).
26. Paint Compliance certificate (issued by an independent laboratory, states that all the
materials used to make the paint are approved for use on surface which are in contact
with foods. This certificate to be submitted by the Master upon request of the Shipper of
Grain).

DOCUMENTS Issued by SURVEYORS

27. Hold Inspection Certificate (issued by a Surveyor).

28. Certificate of Weight and Quality (issued by suitable qualified surveyors and samplers,
testifies to the quantity of cargo loaded and to its physical description and analytical
specification).

DOCUMENTS Issued by the MASTER

1. Notice of Readiness.
2. Authorization to sign B/L (issued by the Master to the Agent).
3. Letters of protest (The Master should write a letter of protest whenever he considers that
shippers, stevedores or any other parties are responsible for an event or circumstances
which will cause a loss to the ship).
4. Empty Hold Certificate (issued by the Master when there is any doubt as to the outturn
of the cargo, the stevedore supervisor will asked to sign this certificate to confirm that no
cargo remains onboard).
5. Stevedore Damage Form (issued by the Master or the Chief Officer to hold the
stevedore responsible for damage to the ship or cargo, to be countersigned by the
stevedore supervisor).
BILL OF LADING
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Bill of Lading will usually be prepared (but not signed) by the Shippers, his Agent or
forwarding agent.
Master or Agent usually sign the B/L.
The Master must ensure that the information on the B/L agrees with that on the Mates
Receipt.
Normally B/L is issued in 3 originals and numerous copies.
There are 6 main aspects to be considered before signing B/L :
1. Quantity of cargo (a discrepancy of up to 0.5% or 0.25% is considered acceptable in
some trades).
2. Description and Condition of Cargo.
3. Date of the B/L (should be the date on which the vessel completed the loading of the
named cargo).
4. Description of the voyage (between which ports).
5. Terms and Conditions (correspondence between Carter Party and B/L ones).
6. Payment of Freight ( Freight Paid or Freight Prepaid).

The B/l performs three distinct functions:

1. as a receipt which shows what has been loaded on the ship.
2. as a document of title which shows who can demand the goods at the discharge port,
3. as a contract of carriage.

DOCUMENTS OF TITLE :
1. B/L
2. Invoice
3. Insurance Police/Certificate