English Marine Cargo Survey
NIVRE and cargo surveying in the Netherlands
NIVRE keeps a public register with the names and details of approved surveyors of many different types and supplies on request relevant information to interested parties. The register has categorised the surveyors by their main activity, such as fire, care, personal injury, shipping and transport/cargo. The organisation aims to promote and maintain the professionalism, skill and proper conduct of its members. NIVRE also deals with complaints and mediates in disputes involving its members. The term Register Expert is protected by law, not unlike a brand name.
Surveyors in the Netherlands can apply for membership of "Stichting Nederlands Instituut Van Register-Experts" (NIVRE). The membership requires a minimum of five years' full time experience as a surveyor, whilst in addition various written exams should be passed. NIVRE has developed courses for experts on subjects such as relevant insurance knowledge, reporting skills and communication, which are included in a basic general course.
Subsequently a branch specific advanced section course has to be followed. For the advanced transport/cargo category, the institute is in cooperation with the MPI group in the United Kingdom, which runs a distance learning course on marine cargo surveying, involving six compulsory core modules and a range of optional specialist modules.
After successfully completing the advanced section, the surveyor has the right to be recorded in the Register.
Subsequently the registered NIVRE surveyor is obliged to participate in the "permanent education" system. With this system, NIVRE endeavours to guarantee the quality of the register. All registered surveyors must attain within a certain period a number of education points, which can be obtained by participating seminars, lectures, congresses, etc. Special emphasis is placed on the changes in the fields of insurance, technical product fields and social areas. This will constantly safeguard quality and, where appropriate, upgrade it.
The Dutch have two types of cargo surveyors. The NIVRE surveyor is the "expert", mainly dealing with marine cargo claims. This profession differs from those cargo surveyors who deal with superintendent work, like quality and quantity inspections of commodities and cargoes. These are sometimes referred to as Controleurs or Inspecteurs.
The "experts"' main group of principals are cargo underwriters, insurers, insurance brokers, insurance departments of larger companies, average agents, P&I clubs and their correspondents, and claim departments of ship owning and chartering companies.
The Netherlands incorporates a large transit industry with significant sea, air and road logistics.
Dutch experts work mainly in the Netherlands. But since the insurance market is extensive, they often find themselves working in other countries in Europe and on other continents on cases of extensive cargo damage.