Digital draught survey technology
TYMOR TOP TIPS
1
Ensure a strong internet connection. If the connection is weak, you can just record the video on your smartphone and upload it when the signal improves.
2
Face the marks as directly as possible. A large angle increases the risk of errors.
3
Always keep at least two draft mark numbers in the frame, along with the waterline.
4
The smartphone app requires numerical marks, although we can analyse non-numerical marks as a separate service.
5
Ensure the waterline and numbers are not obscured by objects, such as the workboat or quay, during recording, as this will affect the results.
6
When recording at night, illuminate the draft mark area as much as possible, while minimising glare from the waterline.
7
Avoid capturing other numbers or markings on the hull. If the draft marks are divided between the rudder and the hull, focus on the marks nearest the waterline and exclude the others from the frame.
Verifiable Draft Surveys for Global Shipping
DRFT MRKS is a digital draft survey app that combines video capture with AI analysis to deliver reliable draft data supported by a secure, timestamped video record of sea state and vessel condition at the time of survey.
Objective Data with Confidence Limits
DRFT MRKS supports draft surveys even in challenging environmental conditions, ensuring that consistency is maintained despite:
- Faded or rusted draft markings
- Marine growth or poor lighting
- Swell or wave motion
Users receive a draft reading that provides transparency around measurement and a secure, time-stamped digital record.
KEY FEATURES
Highly portable mobile phone app removes subjectivity
Generates accurate operational material
Captures a secure time-stamped video record
Results securely stored in case of future disputes
Can be used on all types of draft marks
Reduces burden on surveyor and improves crew safety
Reducing Cargo Discrepancies with a Digital Record
DRFT MRKS uses short video clips captured via smartphone, tablet, or drone, to analyse vessel draft marks and calculate objective readings. Using AI and Deep Learning techniques, the app:
- Identifies and analyses where the waterline meets the hull
- Generates a record of the draft from captured video footage
- Returns a result directly to the user’s device in minutes
Each reading is stored securely, creating an actionable and retrievable evidential record that can be accessed long after the vessel has sailed.
Strengthening Evidence and Reducing Cargo Shortage Claims
Discrepancies in cargo and displacement figures remain a persistent challenge across the global shipping industry, often arising from the subjectivity of visual draft readings and differences between shore figures and vessel calculations. DRFT MRKS addresses the root causes of these disputes by:
- Standardising the draft reading method to reduce subjectivity
- Improving alignment between shore and vessel figures
- Providing a secure, timestamped video record of sea state and hull condition for every reading
When outcomes are questioned, all parties can review the same shared record of what the waterline and hull looked like at the time of survey, rather than relying solely on handwritten figures or memory.
A Secure, Retrievable Record You Can Rely On
Traditional manual draft surveys have relied on written notes and single recorded figures. DRFT MRKS transforms this process by preserving the original visual evidence used to generate each reading and storing it securely. The system provides:
- Timestamped video evidence of hull condition and sea state
- Easily retrievable records for investigations, claims, and audits
- A single shared reference point for owners, charterers, terminals, surveyors, and insurers
This objective record helps reduce prolonged disputes driven by a lack of verifiable, inspectable data.
Supporting Professional Judgement and Safety
DRFT MRKS is designed to support experienced surveyors, not replace professional judgement.
Draft surveys remain a skilled discipline; DRFT MRKS documents exactly what the surveyor saw at the hull, including sea state and vessel condition at the time of the reading, strengthening professional credibility and reducing reliance on retrospective explanation.
Improved safety is another benefit: remote video capture using smartphones, tablets, or drones by reduces the need for surveyors to perform close-proximity readings around hulls and waterlines.
Built for Complex Maritime Environments
DRFT MRKS has been developed to handle the realities of global commercial shipping, where cargo shortage claims create a significant cumulative cost to insurers and owners.
The app delivers the traceability and quality of evidence needed to resolve these issues across a wide range of vessel types and operations.
By providing a repeatable, auditable approach to draft measurement and a secure video record of conditions at the time of survey, DRFT MRKS supports clearer outcomes at every stage of a vessel’s journey.
According to a 2023 report by The Swedish Club, 63 percent of claims involving grain bulk carriers were linked to cargo discrepancies.
Surveyor? Download DRFT MRKS now
DRFT MRKS is available for free download on: