A marine survey in Indonesia typically costs USD 650 to 3,200 for a leisure vessel under 25 m, USD 1,200 to 4,500 for a commercial vessel condition survey, and USD 1,500 to 3,500 per attendance for a draft survey. Travel, haul-out, crane, diver and laboratory costs are additional and quoted at cost.
Survey fees are quoted per engagement, in USD, and confirmed in writing before anyone travels. There is no percentage-of-value fee, no commission from a broker or yard, and no fee variation depending on whether you go ahead with the purchase. That last point is the whole basis of an independent survey and it is worth stating plainly.
Fee bands by survey type
These are indicative bands for attendance at a port with a resident desk, in normal conditions, on a vessel presented ready for inspection. Your written quotation will state the exact figure, what is included and what is charged at cost.
| Survey type | Vessel size / scope | Indicative fee (USD) | Report turnaround |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pre-purchase, afloat + sea trial | Under 12 m | 650 – 1,100 | 3 working days |
| Pre-purchase, afloat + sea trial | 12 – 18 m | 1,100 – 1,900 | 4 working days |
| Pre-purchase, afloat + sea trial | 18 – 25 m | 1,900 – 3,200 | 5 working days |
| Pre-purchase, afloat + sea trial | 25 – 40 m | 3,200 – 6,000 | 5 – 7 working days |
| Haul-out attendance (add-on) | Any size | 250 – 1,500 | Included in main report |
| Condition & valuation | Leisure vessel under 25 m | 1,400 – 3,500 | 5 – 10 working days |
| Condition & valuation | Commercial vessel | 2,200 – 6,500 | 7 – 14 working days |
| Hull & machinery with UTM | Per vessel, grid-dependent | 2,000 – 7,500 | 7 – 14 working days |
| Insurance / damage / P&I attendance | Per attendance day | 700 – 1,600 per day | 3 – 10 working days |
| Draft survey | Per survey (initial or final) | 800 – 1,800 | 1 – 3 working days |
| Draft survey | Full loading attendance, anchorage | 1,500 – 3,500 | 1 – 3 working days |
| Bunker quantity survey | Per attendance | 500 – 1,200 | 1 – 2 working days |
| Cargo condition / outturn | Per attendance day | 600 – 1,400 per day | 3 – 7 working days |
| On-hire or off-hire survey | Per attendance incl. bunkers | 900 – 2,200 | 2 – 5 working days |
| Barge suitability / towage approval | Per engagement | 2,000 – 5,500 | 3 – 7 working days |
| Phinisi / wooden hull, slipway | 25 – 40 m | 2,200 – 4,500 | 5 – 7 working days |
| Liveaboard safety & operational layer | Add-on to structural survey | 600 – 1,400 | Included in main report |
| New-build stage inspection | Per stage attendance | 700 – 1,800 per stage | 3 – 5 working days |
What is included in the fee
Included as standard
- Surveyor attendance for the agreed scope and duration.
- All inspection equipment normally carried: moisture meter, ultrasonic thickness gauge, borescope, sounding equipment, hydrometer, calibrated instruments and photographic gear.
- The written English report with photographic evidence, graded defect list and, where in scope, a market-value opinion.
- A verbal preliminary on the day of attendance for the deal-breakers.
- One round of written clarification after delivery.
What is charged separately
| Item | Why it is separate | Typical range (USD) |
|---|---|---|
| Travel and mobilisation to ports without a resident desk | Airfares and boat transfer vary widely | At cost — 150 – 900 typical |
| Accommodation and subsistence | Multi-day and remote attendance | At cost |
| Waiting time caused by the vessel or the yard | Access not ready on arrival | 300 – 600 per day |
| Haul-out, slipway, crane and yard charges | Payable to the yard, not to us | At cost |
| Commercial diver for in-water inspection | Third-party service | At cost — 300 – 900 typical |
| Laboratory analysis (oil, fuel, cargo moisture) | Accredited laboratory fees | At cost — 60 – 250 per sample |
| Additional copies, certified or notarised versions | Administration | 50 – 150 |
| Expert appointment for arbitration or litigation | Separate engagement and terms | By agreement |
What actually moves a fee up or down
- Vessel size and complexity. Length is the headline driver, but a 20 m vessel with two engines, two generators, a watermaker and air conditioning takes longer than a 24 m single-engine workboat.
- Location. A resident-desk port carries no mobilisation. A remote anchorage with boat transfer and an overnight stay carries several hundred dollars of unavoidable cost.
- Scope depth. A visual condition survey, a survey with UTM on a planned grid, and a survey with oil analysis and diver support are three different engagements at three different prices.
- Vessel readiness. Tanks and lockers opened, engine cold, crew available, yard access confirmed — a vessel presented properly can be surveyed in a day. A vessel that has to be opened up while the surveyor waits takes two.
- Grouping. Two candidate vessels at the same port in one mobilisation cost far less than two separate trips. Tell us the shortlist rather than one boat at a time.
- Urgency. Same-day casualty attendance and out-of-hours work carry a premium; planned work booked with notice does not.
Payment terms
Fees are invoiced in USD. For a first engagement we ask for payment in advance of attendance; for established clients, underwriters and club correspondents we work on account. Third-party costs — yard, diver, laboratory — are either paid directly by you or recharged at cost with the supplier’s invoice attached. There is no fee due if we cannot attend because of weather or access failure outside your control, only the travel actually incurred.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a marine survey cost in Indonesia?
Between roughly USD 650 and USD 6,000 depending on vessel size, survey type and location. A typical 15 m yacht pre-purchase survey with sea trial at a main port falls between USD 1,100 and USD 1,900.
Is the fee based on the value of the vessel?
No. Fees are quoted per engagement based on scope, size and location. A percentage-of-value fee would give the surveyor an interest in the transaction, which is exactly what an independent survey is supposed to avoid.
Do I pay if I walk away from the purchase?
Yes — you are paying for the inspection and the report, not for a successful transaction. A survey that stops you buying a bad vessel is the survey doing its job.
Are travel costs included?
Not at ports without a resident desk. Travel, boat transfer and accommodation are quoted before you commit and charged at cost.
Is a haul-out included in the survey fee?
No. Slipway, crane and yard charges are payable to the yard. Our attendance during the haul-out is quoted as an add-on.
Can I get a survey for two vessels I am choosing between?
Yes, and it costs substantially less than two separate engagements if they are at the same port and can be attended on one mobilisation.
Do you charge for the verbal preliminary?
No, it is part of the engagement. You get the deal-breakers on the day rather than waiting for the written report to start negotiating.
Do you quote in USD or in local currency?
USD. All fee bands, quotations and invoices on this site are in USD.
Request a surveyor
Yacht & leisure
Pre-purchase, condition, valuation, insurance and phinisi or liveaboard surveys.
Commercial & cargo
Draft, bunker, cargo, on/off-hire, P&I, hull & machinery and statutory attendance.