Gard Guidance to Masters

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Gard Guidance Masters

2.12.3.5 CARGO SAMPLES

A. General
Cargo samples should be drawn at regular intervals during loading, preferably jointly in the presence of a representative of the shipper or terminal as follows

vessel’s manifold at the very beginning of loading and after scheduled and unscheduled stoppages for shore reasons

first foot sample

sample drawn at the manifold throughout the loading

final tank sample

tank samples drawn before commencement of discharge

manifold sample at commencement of discharge.

The samples should be labelled, indicating where, when and by whom the samples were drawn. All samples taken must be sealed and kept in a designated place on board or delivered to appropriate storage facilities ashore. It is recommended that all samples are retained for at least one year after completion of discharge.

Samples are extremely important in the event cargo interests bring a claim against the Company regarding the condition of the cargo. As the vessel’s responsibilities for the cargo normally starts and ends at vessel’s manifold, samples drawn as referred to above will be very useful in establishing the cargo’s condition throughout the voyage.

Manifold and first foot samples should immediately be checked visually for any foreign particles, water and colour. If there is any suspicion that the sample might be off specification, the terminal should be advised accordingly and loading operations should be stopped for further investigations.

For general principles of sampling, please see also section 2.12.2.9 Cargo sampling – dry bulk cargoes.

B. Prepared samples
The Master should never accept samples of the cargo which are already sealed and labelled as they might not be samples of the cargo actually loaded.

C. Request for signing cargo samples
The Master should never sign any receipt for a cargo sample unless he/she knows the details on the label to be accurate.

2.12.3.5 Cargo samples