Loading supervision means an inspector working for you stands at the factory or warehouse while your container is loaded and sealed. They check that the goods going in are the goods you approved, in the right quantity, packed and stowed properly, and that the seal number is recorded.
It is often combined with a final pre-shipment inspection. It matters most when you pay the balance against documents, because once the container is sealed and shipped you have no further chance to see the goods before you pay. That payment term is common in the Indian agri trade, so supervision is common too. It is usually booked a few days ahead, once the supplier confirms the loading date.
The inspector should work for you, not the supplier. Ask who pays them, who they report to and whether they can stop the loading if they find a problem.
The empty container
- Container number recorded and photographed.
- Doors, seals and locking bars working.
- No holes or light leaks when the doors are closed from inside.
- Floor, walls and roof clean, dry and free of rust flakes, nails and old cargo residue.
- No smell of chemicals, fuel or a previous cargo, which agri goods can absorb.
- Reject any container that fails, and ask the line for a replacement.
The goods
- Lot numbers and bag marks match the packing list and your approval sample.
- Bags are clean, dry, undamaged and correctly labelled.
- A sample is drawn from several bags for visual checks and, if agreed, lab testing.
- Visual checks for colour, smell, insects, mould and foreign matter against the approval sample.
- Bag count and a random check-weigh, as set out in how to check weight at loading.
Stowage and sealing
- Kraft paper or liner fitted if the contract asks for it.
- Bags stacked tightly and evenly, with nothing crushed or leaning on the doors.
- Desiccants hung if agreed.
- Photos taken at set stages, from empty to fully loaded.
- Seal applied in the inspector's presence and its number recorded.
What you receive
You should receive a report with the findings, the counts, the weights, the seal number and a full photo set, usually within a day or so of loading. If the inspector finds a problem, the report should say so plainly and loading should stop until you decide. Our guide on what photos should be taken during loading lists the shots to ask for.
Loading supervision does not replace lab testing. A visual check cannot see pesticide residues, aflatoxin or ETO. Those need a sample tested before shipment, as explained in pre-shipment versus approval samples.
How we help
We send our own inspector to supervise loading at the processor's site in Gujarat and record every check above. You get the report and photos before you release payment. Ask for a free sourcing review to plan it for your next container.