Container Survey Fee

Container Survey Fee refers to the cost incurred for inspecting and appraising a container, typically occurring during container handover, lease return, damage assessment, or insurance claims. Usage scenarios include: shipping companies or container leasing companies inspecting the container's condition upon return to determine if there is damage and who is responsible for repairs; cargo owners requesting a re-inspection when they find defects in the container upon pick-up; or insurance companies commissioning third-party inspections after cargo damage incidents. Notes: The survey fee is usually borne by the responsible party. If the container damage is caused by the cargo owner, the cargo owner must pay the survey fee and repair costs; if the problem is inherent to the container, the shipping company or leasing company bears the cost. Unlike 'repair fee,' the survey fee only covers the inspection itself and does not include repairs; it also differs from 'cleaning fee,' which is for cleaning. Foreign trade practitioners should specify in the contract who bears the survey fee and retain survey reports as evidence for claims to avoid disputes over additional costs.