Marine cargo inspector

Marine cargo inspectors

Description

Marine cargo inspectors investigate all baggage and freight listed on the ship’s manifest. They are responsible for checking the condition of the cargo and verifying the cargo’s documentation and compliance with rules and regulations. Marine cargo inspectors analyse the vessels’ capabilities, the fuel compartments, the safety equipment and the specific licenses required.

Marine cargo inspectors typically do the following:

  • Inspect cargo on seagoing vessels.
  • Certify cargo and packaging is in compliance with health and safety regulations.
  • Determine if cargo in holds can proceed to its destination.
  • Decide if cargo needs repair or maintenance.
  • Read documents to see what is in the cargo.
  • Compute tolls and wharf fees.
  • Read blueprints of ship and determine if cargo can fit in designated space.
  • Determine license and safety equipment required.
  • Calculate gross and net tonnage, hold capacities, volume of stored fuel and water, cargo weight, and ship stability factors.
  • Write out certificates of admeasurement.
  • Issue certificates of compliance for cargo that passes inspection.
  • Recommend procedures to correct compliance issues.
  • Ensure that cargo manifests match what’s actually being shipped.
  • Facilitate efficient trading by sea.
  • Take photos and document findings to produce a report.
  • Consider the transportation conditions of various freight and implement better methods as necessary.
  • Investigate frozen or live produce.
  • Direct workers loading and unloading cargo.

Other titles

The following job titles also refer to marine cargo inspector:

inspector of ship cargo
shipping freight and cargo inspector
ship freight inspector
inspector of ship freight
marine freight and cargo inspector

Minimum qualifications

A high school diploma or equivalent is generally the minimum required to work as a marine cargo inspector. Some employers accept candidates without formal educational credential; in such case, they usually offer on-the-job training.

ISCO skill level

ISCO skill level is defined as a function of the complexity and range of tasks and duties to be performed in an occupation. It is measured on a scale from 1 to 4, with 1 the lowest level and 4 the highest, by considering:

  • the nature of the work performed in an occupation in relation to the characteristic tasks and duties
  • the level of formal education required for competent performance of the tasks and duties involved and
  • the amount of informal on-the-job training and/or previous experience in a related occupation required for competent performance of these tasks and duties.

Marine cargo inspector is a Skill level 3 occupation.

Marine cargo inspector career path

Similar occupations

These occupations, although different, require a lot of knowledge and skills similar to marine cargo inspector.

freight inspector
non-vessel operating common carrier
shipping agent
maritime pilot
international forwarding operations coordinator

Long term prospects

These occupations require some skills and knowledge of marine cargo inspector. They also require other skills and knowledge, but at a higher ISCO skill level, meaning these occupations are accessible from a position of marine cargo inspector with a significant experience and/or extensive training.

agricultural machinery and equipment distribution manager
agricultural raw materials, seeds and animal feeds distribution manager
beverages distribution manager
chemical products distribution manager
china and glassware distribution manager

Essential knowledge and skills

Essential knowledge

This knowledge should be acquired through learning to fulfill the role of marine cargo inspector.

  • Types of cargo: Distinguish different types of cargo e.g. bulk cargo, liquid bulk cargo and heavy materials.
  • International regulations for cargo handling: The body of conventions, guidelines and rules which dictate the activity of loading and unloading cargo in international ports.
  • National regulations on handling cargo: The national regulations governing the loading and unloading of cargo in ports within that country.
  • Freight transport methods: Understand different modalities of transport such as air, sea, or intermodal freight transport. Specialise in one of the modalities and possess a deeper knowledge of the details and procedures of that modality.
  • Components of a ship manifest: Know the different components comprising the ship’s manifest, in which information on the cargo, passengers, and crew are disclosed. Corroborate the written information with actual facts.
  • Hazardous freight regulations: Know the most widely applied regulatory schemes for the transportation of dangerous materials. Know specific regulatory frameworks such as IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for air transport, or International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (“IMDG Code”) for transportation of hazardous materials by sea.
  • Principles of cargo stowage: Understand the principles of cargo stowage. Understand procedures by which containers should be efficiently loaded and unloaded, taking into account gravitational forces that are exerted during transportation.

Essential skills and competences

These skills are necessary for the role of marine cargo inspector.

  • Weigh shipments: Weigh shipments and calculate the maximum weights and dimensions, per package or per item, for each consignment.
  • Inspect hazardous freight in accordance with regulations: Inspect and take into account regulations on hazardous or delicate freight such as biomedical waste, transplant organs, and blood. Freight may have to cross national borders on its journey to its destination. Comply with legal freight regulations to avoid fines for the transportation company or the organisation that initiated the shipment.
  • Apply procedures to ensure cargo complies with customs regulations: Apply the different procedures required to meet customs obligations when transporting goods across borders and arriving via ports/airports or any other logistics hub, such as producing written customs declarations. Apply different procedures for different types of goods, and ensure compliance with shipping regulations.;
  • Undertake inspections: Undertake safety inspections in areas of concern to identify and report potential hazards or security breaches; take measures to maximise safety standards.
  • Inspect freight: Inspect, document, and manage freight shipments; verify that all content complies with national, international and local regulations.
  • Adjust weight of cargo to capacity of freight transport vehicles: Adapt weight of cargo to capacity of freight transport vehicles. Oversee the maximum load capacity of the vehicle in question and the weight of each individual crate in the shipment.
  • Handle freight inspection equipment: Handle freight inspection equipment and tools such as bench top centrifuges, depth indicators, notebook computers, tape measures, and water samplers.
  • Prepare freight shipment reports: Compose and submit freight shipment reports. Include detailed information on freight conditions and freight handling; report problems if necessary.
  • Lead inspections: Lead inspections and the protocol involved, such as introducing the inspection team, explaining the purpose of the inspection, performing the inspection, requesting documents, asking appropriate questions, and maintaining a high level of professionalism when investigating subjects.

Optional skills and competences

These skills and competences are sometimes, but not always, required for the role of marine cargo inspector. However, mastering these skills and competences allows you to have more opportunities for career development.

  • Observe freight shipment loaders: Observe process of freight loading; ensure that crew complies with all applicable regulations and procedures; stow heavy and potentially dangerous cargo.
  • Act reliably: Proceed in a way that one can be relied on or depended on.
  • Have computer literacy: Utilise computers, IT equipment and modern day technology in an efficient way.
  • Communicate analytical insights: Obtain analytical insights and share them with relevant teams, in order to enable them to optimise supply chain (SC) operations and planning.

ISCO group and title

3359 – Regulatory government associate professionals not elsewhere classified


References
  1. Marine cargo inspector – ESCO
  2. Marine Cargo Inspector Job Description – DiversityJobs
  3. What Does a Marine Cargo Inspector Do? – Learn.org
  4. Featured image: By U.S. Coast Guard by Petty Officer 3rd Class Robert Brazzell – https://www.dvidshub.net/image/377443, Public Domain
Last updated on February 1, 2023

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