UNIT EIGHTCARGO PROCEDURES - RECEIV

UNIT EIGHT


CARGO PROCEDURES - RECEIVING


Goods or packages which are received in unsound condition clearly cannot be delivered in a sound condition. It is essential, therefore, that a careful watch be maintained at all times when loading for any packages which may have been tampered with or which are improperly or inadequately protected, broken, leaky, damaged, repaired, spilled, torn or stained.
Packages that are torn, badly broken, leaking or tampered with should be rejected. If, after satisfactory reconditioning, it is decided to accept the shipment, the Mate’s receipt must be suitably endorsed - a clean receipt should not be given unless the condition of the package is in all respects identical with its fellow with which exception has not been taken.
Care should be taken to see that any packages for which receipts have been issued and which, for some sound reason may been sent on shore for reconditioning, are delivered back to the ship.


Mate's receipts


When the Chief Officer signs the receipt for goods he is personally liable for any deficiency in the number proved to exist on discharge of the goods, i.e. between shipment and out-turn. It is the duty of the First Mate to receive and discharge cargoes. It is upon his and the act which he performs in signing the receipt that the Master signs the Bill of Lading, thereby rendering his owners responsible to the consignees. This is undoubtedly a duty of the utmost importance.
They should be carefully drawn up, marks and numbers copied from the tally books, not from boat or charter’s notes, all quantities shown in words and not in figures and particulars of rejected packages shown thereon.




Mate's Receipts should be issued on ship's forms and numbered. Receipt books should be in triplicate forms, one copy for boat man, one for the agents, and one left in the book. If receiving from lighters or

boats, receipts should not be issued until after same - including peaks - have been searched. Disputes should be investigated immediately while a recount may still be possible. When this is not done, and another means of arriving at a satisfactory solution is not available, the number in dispute should clearly be stated in words on the receipt - the number on ' which there is agreement being separately shown thus:


"Received on board 17 packages: three more in dispute"

and not as sometimes done thus:

"Received 2O packages, three in dispute".

Simple clear expression should always be preferred to complicated
elaborate phrases.
The legendary story of a breakdown in communications resulted in the classic endorsement: "Received for on deck carriage, six elephants, one in dispute. If on board to be delivered"!
When the charter party calls for Mate's receipts to be granted for cargo alongside and not actually on board, they should be endorsed "at shipper's risk until actually shipped". When in doubt to weight, quantity and condition, Mate's receipts as well as the bills of lading should be caused "weight, quality, quantity and condition unknown".

Bills of Lading


A bill of lading, which is a negotiable document, and in most cases quickly passes out of the hands of shipper, is prima facie evidence of shipment against the ship both as to condition as well as quantity. It follows, therefore, that a letter of indemnity against any clauses in the bill of lading affords no protection whatever to the ship against claims by the consignees, in as much as letters of guarantee indemnity have no legal force against a third party.
There should be no hesitation in endorsing Mate's receipts and bills
of lading with such clauses as are left to be necessary and justified by the facts of the case, in order to protect the ship from claims for shortage of damage to, or deterioration of, the cargo.
Bills of lading may, under certain circumstances, be issued prior to the cargo arriving on board the vessel. This is particularly so in the case of ISO freight containers - where the shutting and sealing of the container doors after the cargo is stuffed may be sufficient to allow a bill of lading to be issued. Thus it is important that all containers loaded on board have seals and locks in position and intact.

QUESTIONS


1. Why should a careful watch be kept when loading?
2. What are the most frequent damages to packages?
3. When should a clean receipt not be given?
4. What should be done with the packages given ashore for
reconditioning?
5. What is a Mate's Receipt?
6. What is the basic duty of the First Mate in respect of receiving
cargo?
7. How and on what basis are M/R's signed?
8. When should disputes be investigated?
9. How should the number in dispute be stated?
1O. What is the "legendary story” about?
11. When are M/R's endorsed "at shipper's risk until actually
shipped"?
12. What is the purpose of the Bill of Lading?
13. Why is the letter of indemnity not recommended?
14. What is the purpose of endorsing M/R's and B/L's?
15. In which case is the B/L issued before the goods are actually
shipped on board? Give an example.

EXERCISES
I COMPREHENSION AND VOCABULARY


1. Say which of the following statements are true or false:
1. Torn packages or badly broken ones are normally received on
board with no endorsement.
2. Packages that have been reconditioned require no examination
again.
3. The Chief Officer is responsible for any deficiency in the number on the discharge of the goods. 4. Mate's receipts are made on the basis of tally sheets.
5. The B/L is issued on the basis of Mate's receipts.
6. Receipts are normally issued on the boat or charter’s notes.
7. Disputes on receipt of cargo can be investigated at a later stage,
i.e. on delivery.
8. Number of packages are given in words and are preferred to
numbers.
9. A B/L is an evidence that the cargo has been received for
shipment or actually loaded on board.
10. Endorsing a B/L or M/R can be made at ease at a later stage of
shipment.


2. Supply the words: (alongside, evidence, exchange, rail. tally, receipt)
The ship's responsibility regarding cargo commences when it is
delivered the vessel ready for loading, or when it crosses the ship's , depending on the custom of the port and the terms of the contract of carriage.
A mate's receipt is the primary of acceptance of cargo,
particulars of which are entered on it. It is the given by
the mate when the cargo is shipped.
The condition and are carefully noted and any clauses intended for insertion in the B/L must be entered on the mate's receipt. The mate's receipt is given up to the master in for the bill of lading.


3. Complete the sentences below:

1. The bill of lading is signed by the master only after ...
2. If repaired packages are accepted again for shipment, they
should be ...
3. The duty of the First Mate is ...
4. Copies of the mate's receipt are given to ...
5. A mate's receipt is endorsed “at shipper's risk until actually
shipped” in the case when ...
6. All the containers on board must be checked as to ...


4. Write down all the adjectives in the text that refer to a damaged
condition of the goods.

II GRAMMAR


1. Supply the suitable form of the verbs in brackets:


Packages received in unsound condition cannot (deliver) in sound condition. Therefore careful watch should (maintain), when loading, for any packages which may have been tampered with, or (break). Cargoes in such condition should (reject). If it is decided to (accept) such packages for transport, the receipt should (endorse) suitably. A clean receipt should (not give) if the condition of the goods is not as specified.


2. Word Forms. Supply a suitable word form from the brackets:
(receive, receiver, receiving, receipt; endorse, endorsem ent)


1. The cargo officer issues the for the goods
on board.
2. A bill of lading must be suitably with remarks as to the quantity and condition of the goods.
3. The of the mate's must be made immediately
on shore or fn the ship's hold.
4. On the cargo a is given to the shipper.
5. The goods must be delivered to the or holder of the
B/L.


3. Rearrange the following sentences by introducing them with
"See that ...", or "You should see that..." : e.g.:
- The Chief Officer must see that the packages which have, been
sent for reconditioning are delivered back to the ship.


1. All torn or broken packages should be rejected.
2. No leaky drums must be allowed to cross the ship's rail.
3. The receipts for cargo should be written on ship's forms.
4. The condition of the goods must be suitably endorsed in the
mate's receipt.
5. Bills of lading have to be correctly dated.

4. Collocations. The verb + object noun collocations can be transformed into a “noun + of + noun” collocation, e.g.: “to

receive the goods

“Þ “receipt of the goods”. Transform the

following collocations from the reading text following the
example above (see that the right form of the noun is used):


- maintain the watch -
- deliver the package -
- reject the package -
- accept the shipment -
- endorse the Mate's - Receipt -
- issue the receipt -
- sign the receipt -
- investigate the dispute -
- accept the receipt -
- sign the bill of lading -

III TRANSLATION


1. Pobrini se