Overview
A bunker shortage dispute is easiest to assess when the evidence was collected as the delivery happened. Once hoses are disconnected and the delivery craft departs, missing measurements or unexplained events become much harder to reconstruct.
For maritime professionals, the useful question is not only “what does the term mean?” but “what evidence would show that the work was performed properly?” This guide therefore focuses on the practical link between the governing framework, onboard or cargo-side activity, and the records a competent professional would expect to see.
Key Points to Understand
IMT conceptual illustration for learning purposes; not an official regulatory flowchart.
Practical Process
The exact method must always be adapted to the vessel, cargo, company procedures, local rules and the scope of the assignment. A disciplined sequence helps keep evidence complete and prevents the work from drifting away from its objective.
- Freeze the evidence: retain meter printouts, measurement sheets and BDN copies.
- Recheck calculations and units before alleging shortage.
- Record interruptions, line changes and disputed events.
- Issue a factual protest if the discrepancy remains unresolved.
- Preserve samples and other evidence where the dispute includes quality concerns.
- Report without speculating beyond the evidence.
Common Mistakes
Most weak inspections, surveys and audits do not fail because the professional forgot a complicated formula. They fail because scope, evidence or follow-up became unclear. Watch especially for:
- Starting with accusations before confirming arithmetic.
- Mixing quality complaints into a quantity calculation without separating the issues.
- Allowing original records to be replaced by edited copies.
Practical Checklist
This is an IMT working checklist, not a substitute for the applicable convention, code, flag requirement, port rule, company procedure or contractual instruction.
- Opening baseline
- Transfer log
- Closing evidence
- Calculation check
- BDN comparison
- Protest if required
- Evidence retention
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View the Training Programme →Frequently Asked Questions
What should be checked first in a shortage claim?
The calculation and the original measurement or meter evidence. Simple data or unit errors should be ruled out before broader conclusions.
Does a letter of protest prove shortage?
No. It records the disagreement; the quantity still depends on the measurement evidence and applicable procedure.
Why keep original records?
They preserve the contemporaneous evidence and help show what information existed before the dispute developed.
Authoritative Sources
Regulatory statements in this guide are grounded in the following primary or official sources. Operational recommendations are presented as IMT practical guidance.
International Maritime Training (IMT) is an independent training provider. This educational guide is not issued by, affiliated with, or endorsed by IMO, ILO, MPA Singapore, or any other authority referenced above.