Check the crates before you sign for them, and write any damage on the delivery receipt. Then unpack with photographs, check the contents against the packing list, and only accept the machine after it passes the site acceptance test agreed in the contract.
Signing a clean receipt and accepting a machine are two different steps. Keep them separate, and do not let either happen by default.
At delivery
- Check that the container seal number matches the bill of lading before the doors are opened.
- Photograph the container or crates from every side, including tilt indicators and shock indicators if they were fitted.
- Look for broken crate timber, wet patches, crushed corners and signs that the load has shifted.
- Write any damage or doubt on the delivery receipt, such as "crate 3 damaged, contents subject to inspection", before you sign.
- Keep the damaged packing and do not move the machine further if serious damage is visible, so the surveyor can see it as delivered.
When you unpack
Open the crates within the time your insurance and carrier contracts allow. Under the Hague-Visby Rules, written notice of loss or damage that is not apparent at delivery must be given to the carrier within three days. Other conventions and national laws set different periods, so check the terms on your bill of lading and policy.
Unpack in a dry area. Check the machine for dents, cracked castings, bent guards and loose components. Look at bright surfaces for rust and check the humidity indicator card if one was packed. Rust on arrival usually points to a packing or sealing failure, so photograph it before cleaning.
Then count. Match every crate and item against the packing list, including accessories, tooling, spare parts, manuals and electrical drawings. Missing items are easier to claim when reported straight away.
Before you accept, and if there is damage
Acceptance should come only after installation and the site acceptance test. Compare results with the factory trial, as set out in FAT and SAT. Check the nameplate, serial numbers and electrical data against the order.
If something fails, record it in writing with photographs and send it to the supplier at once. If you hold a retention or a performance guarantee, the contract decides when you may use it, as explained in retention and performance guarantees.
If the problem is transit damage rather than a fault, the claim goes to your insurer instead of the supplier. Notify your insurer and the carrier in writing, and ask for a survey before repair. Keep all packing, photographs and documents. The surveyor's report usually decides the claim, as covered in insurance for machinery shipments. Confirm the exact steps and time limits with your insurer and freight forwarder.
Next step
Arrival problems are cheaper to prevent than to claim. We witness factory trials and photograph packing and loading, which gives you a record to compare against. To plan this, book a free sourcing review.