A foreign buyer does not need to be in Indonesia or to have an Indonesian company. Send the listing and the port; the surveyor confirms availability, a written scope and a USD fee band; you confirm and pay; the surveyor arranges access with the broker or owner, attends, and sends a verbal preliminary the same day.
The sequence
- Send the listing or vessel details, the port where she lies, and a date range rather than a single date.
- Receive surveyor availability, a written scope stating what is and is not inspected, and a fee band in USD with third-party costs identified separately.
- Confirm and pay. First engagements are normally payable before attendance.
- The surveyor deals directly with the broker, owner or yard for access — you do not need to negotiate it.
- Attendance, then a verbal preliminary the same day covering anything that would change your decision.
- Written English report within the stated turnaround, issued to you alone.
The two things that go wrong most often
| Problem | Why it happens | Prevention |
|---|---|---|
| Access falls through on the day | The seller agreed verbally, the yard was not told, the crew were ashore | Written confirmation of access and vessel condition before travel; a survey clause in the offer |
| The buyer books flights around a single survey date | Indonesian logistics — flights, slipways, weather — do not respect single dates | Give a date range; travel only after the verbal preliminary |
Language and reporting
English reporting is standard here, and English-speaking attendance is normal at every resident desk. Reports are written for a reader who may be an underwriter in London, a bank in Singapore or a buyer in Sydney: measured data, referenced photographs, graded defects and an explicit limitations section. An Indonesian-language summary can be added for a local co-owner or for registration purposes.
Paying and contracting from abroad
Fees are quoted and invoiced in USD. Engagement conditions — confidentiality, limitations, professional indemnity terms — are supplied with the written scope before you commit. Survey engagements are contracted through the group’s technical company, and findings are issued independently of any sale, brokerage or repair contract.
The survey clause
Write it into the offer: completion, or the refundability of the deposit, conditional on a satisfactory independent survey within a stated window. It is standard practice, it is rarely refused by a seller with a sound vessel, and it is the single most useful sentence a remote buyer can insist on.
Frequently asked questions
How do I arrange a marine survey in Indonesia from overseas?
Send the listing and port, receive scope and a USD fee band, confirm and pay, and the surveyor arranges access directly. You get a verbal preliminary the same day and the written report within a few working days.
Do I need an Indonesian company or agent?
No. We are instructed by individuals and companies anywhere, invoice in USD and report in English.
Can I get an Indonesian summary of the report?
Yes, on request — useful where a local co-owner, yard or authority needs it.