# Bunker Survey Standard: What It Changes for Suppliers > GlobalBQS brings one bunker survey standard to bunker quantity and on-/off-hire surveys. What bunker suppliers, chandlers and port agents should change now. URL: https://vesselreach.si/blog/one-bunker-survey-standard-what-it-changes | Published: 2026-11-06 | Updated: 2026-11-07 | Industry news | Topic: Segment playbooks (bunkering) ## At a glance - **What: What did GlobalBQS launch?** GlobalBQS went live on 2 November 2026 with a platform that brings one standard to bunker quantity surveys and on-/off-hire surveys, wherever a vessel is. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) - **Who: Who is behind the platform?** GlobalBQS launched the platform. The report describes the problem it targets: every surveyor reports in their own format, figures are locked in PDFs, and invoices arrive from every port. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) - **Where: Where does the standard apply?** The platform is described as bringing one standard to surveys wherever a vessel is, so it is not limited to a single port. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) - **Why: Why was the platform created?** Today every surveyor reports in their own format, figures are locked in PDFs, and when a dispute comes up, owners and charterers end up searching for evidence. The platform aims to remove that inconsistency. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) - **How: How does the standard work?** The platform brings one standard to bunker quantity surveys and on-/off-hire surveys, wherever a vessel is, so the survey format is consistent across ports. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) ## What happened GlobalBQS went live on 2 November 2026 with a platform that brings one standard to bunker quantity surveys and on-/off-hire surveys, wherever a vessel is, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/). The problem it targets is familiar at every port. Today every surveyor reports in their own format. Figures are locked in PDFs, invoices arrive from every port, and when a dispute comes up, owners and charterers end up searching for the underlying evidence. A [bunker quantity survey](https://vesselreach.si/blog/bunkering-decisions-port-calls-that-can-move) (an independent measurement of fuel delivered, used to confirm the figure on the [bunker receipt](https://vesselreach.si/blog/bunker-fuel-credit-terms-for-chandlers-and-agents)) is the document a dispute turns on. If the survey format changes from port to port, the evidence chain breaks at exactly the moment a supplier or buyer needs it. ## Why a common format matters for disputes Bunker disputes are rarely about the price per tonne. They are about the volume delivered, the temperature at measurement, and whether the figure on the bunker receipt matches what the receiving ship's officer signed. When each surveyor uses a different layout, the comparison takes days. A single standard does not remove the commercial argument. It shortens the paper trail. For a bunker supplier, that means fewer hours spent reconstructing a stem from PDFs after a vessel has sailed. For a port agent, it means a clearer file to hand to the owner or charterer when an off-hire claim arrives. ## What it means for maritime service providers ### Bunker suppliers - Expect buyers to ask for survey evidence in a consistent format. Keep the surveyor's report, the bunker receipt and the sampling record together from the first delivery. - Build a repeatable file per stem: vessel name, IMO number, port, date, quantity, temperature and the surveyor's reference. That file is what a dispute review will ask for. - Where a buyer operates a mixed fleet across several ports, a common survey standard makes your own reporting easier to compare across stems. ### Ship chandlers and port agents - Agents handle the husbandry side of a port call, including the paperwork that supports an off-hire or on-hire survey. A standard format reduces the back-and-forth with the master and the owner's technical team. - Chandlers rarely own the survey, but they are often copied into the correspondence. Knowing the format helps you route the right document to the right person on the vessel or ashore. ### Ship repair yards and marine service companies - On-/off-hire surveys matter at the start and end of a charter, and repair work often sits inside that window. A yard that can supply its own completion documents in a clear, dated format makes the owner's survey easier to close. ## The wider market context The launch lands in a week when dry bulk freight is firm. The Baltic Dry Index climbed to 2805 on Friday 6 November 2026, up 65 points, according to [Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/baltic-dry-index-climbs-to-2805-up-65-points/). A firm index usually means more active port calls and more stems to survey. Iron ore prices diverged across domestic and seaborne markets on the same day, with the seaborne 61% and 65% composite indices rising to USD 91.95 and 107.95/dmt, according to the [MMI Daily Iron Ore Index Report](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/mmi-daily-iron-ore-index-report-november-6-2026/). More dry bulk cargo moving means more Capesize and Panamax port calls, and more bunker stems at load and discharge ports. Container spot rates were calmer this week, with slight declines on both the transpacific and Asia-Europe trades as capacity constraints eased, according to [The Loadstar](https://theloadstar.com/calmer-waters-for-container-spot-rates-but-fragile-middle-east-a-threat/). The same report flags the Middle East as fragile, which matters for any supplier quoting a Gulf port call. NYK raised its dividend to ¥330 a share on a year swollen by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz and strong container rates, but its own guidance has second-half profit falling by more than 40%, according to [The Loadstar](https://theloadstar.com/nyk-the-argument-now-is-over-what-a-normal-year-looks-like/). A carrier planning for a weaker second half will look harder at every cost line, including survey and port disbursement costs. On the offshore side, Nexans has signed a subcontract with Hellenic Cables, in consortium with Asso.subsea, to deliver the 110 kV cable system for the Corinth-Kos HVDC link, according to [Offshore Energy](https://www.offshore-energy.biz/2026/11/06/nexans-to-deliver-420-kilometers-of-cable-for-greek-interconnection). Cable-lay and support vessels on that project will create their own port calls in the Eastern Mediterranean, each with a survey and bunker file. ## How to respond before the next stem 1. Pick one file structure per stem and use it at every port. The survey format may change; your internal record should not. 2. Name the role that owns the survey file. At a supplier that is usually the operations or bunker desk; at an agent it is the husbandry team. 3. Check the surveyor's report against the bunker receipt before the vessel sails. A missing temperature or sample reference is easier to fix alongside than by email a week later. 4. Keep the file with the [port disbursement account](https://vesselreach.si/blog/port-calls-meaning-stages-parties-and-supplier-work) (PDA, the agent's estimated cost statement for a port call) so the owner sees one consistent package. ## How VesselReach helps VesselReach is built by CatalystIQ for maritime sales teams that need to reach the right company before a vessel arrives, not after the survey file is already closed. - **Vessel intelligence:** VesselReach shows vessels near your selected ports and scheduled or expected arrivals, which means your team can approach the owner or manager before the ETA. - **AI company targeting and decision-maker discovery:** VesselReach identifies the relevant company behind each vessel and finds roles such as operations, technical superintendents and procurement, which means your survey and bunker file reaches the person who owns it. - **Multichannel outreach with follow-ups:** VesselReach runs staged email, WhatsApp and phone outreach with automated follow-ups, which means fewer stems lost to a missed reply. Book a VesselReach demo to see how the workflow fits your ports and your survey process. ## Key facts - GlobalBQS went live on 2 November 2026 with a platform that brings one standard to bunker quantity surveys and on-/off-hire surveys, wherever a vessel is, according to Hellenic Shipping News (November 2026). ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) - The Baltic Dry Index climbed to 2805 on Friday 6 November 2026, up 65 points, according to Hellenic Shipping News (November 2026). ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/baltic-dry-index-climbs-to-2805-up-65-points/)) - The seaborne 61% and 65% composite iron ore indices rose to USD 91.95 and 107.95/dmt on 6 November 2026, according to the MMI Daily Iron Ore Index Report (November 2026). ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/mmi-daily-iron-ore-index-report-november-6-2026/)) - NYK raised its dividend to ¥330 a share but its own guidance has second-half profit falling by more than 40%, according to The Loadstar (November 2026). ([The Loadstar](https://theloadstar.com/nyk-the-argument-now-is-over-what-a-normal-year-looks-like/)) - Nexans has signed a subcontract with Hellenic Cables, in consortium with Asso.subsea, to deliver the 110 kV cable system for the Corinth-Kos HVDC link, according to Offshore Energy (November 2026). ([Offshore Energy](https://www.offshore-energy.biz/2026/11/06/nexans-to-deliver-420-kilometers-of-cable-for-greek-interconnection)) ## Frequently asked questions ### What is a bunker quantity survey? A bunker quantity survey is an independent measurement of fuel delivered to a vessel, used to confirm the figure on the bunker receipt. GlobalBQS launched a platform on 2 November 2026 to bring one standard to these surveys and to on-/off-hire surveys wherever a vessel is. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) ### Why does a single survey standard matter for bunker disputes? Bunker disputes often turn on the survey report, the bunker receipt and the sampling record. When each surveyor uses a different format, owners and charterers spend time reconstructing the evidence. A common format shortens that paper trail and makes comparison across ports easier. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) ### How can a port agent prepare for the new survey standard? A port agent can keep the survey report, bunker receipt and sampling record together from the first delivery, and route the file to the owner's technical team before the vessel sails. VesselReach helps agents find the right contact at the owner or manager before the ETA. ### Does a firm Baltic Dry Index affect bunker survey demand? A firm index usually means more active dry bulk port calls. The Baltic Dry Index climbed to 2805 on 6 November 2026, up 65 points, according to Hellenic Shipping News. More port calls typically mean more bunker stems and more surveys. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/baltic-dry-index-climbs-to-2805-up-65-points/)) ### What should a ship repair yard do about on-/off-hire surveys? A repair yard can supply its own completion documents in a clear, dated format, which makes the owner's on-/off-hire survey easier to close. GlobalBQS aims to standardise these surveys across ports, so yards that match the format reduce back-and-forth. ([Hellenic Shipping News](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/)) ## Sources 1. [Baltic Dry Index climbs to 2805 up 65 points](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/baltic-dry-index-climbs-to-2805-up-65-points/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-11-06 2. [MMI Daily Iron Ore Index Report November 6 2026](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/mmi-daily-iron-ore-index-report-november-6-2026/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-11-06 3. [GlobalBQS launches One Standard For Every Bunker And On-/Off-Hire Survey](https://www.hellenicshippingnews.com/globalbqs-launches-one-standard-for-every-bunker-and-on-off-hire-survey/), Hellenic Shipping News, 2026-11-06 4. [Calmer waters for container spot rates, but ‘fragile’ Middle East a threat](https://theloadstar.com/calmer-waters-for-container-spot-rates-but-fragile-middle-east-a-threat/), The Loadstar, 2026-11-06 5. [Nexans to deliver 420 kilometers of cable for Greek interconnection](https://www.offshore-energy.biz/2026/11/06/nexans-to-deliver-420-kilometers-of-cable-for-greek-interconnection), Offshore Energy, 2026-11-06 6. [NYK – the argument now is over what a normal year looks like](https://theloadstar.com/nyk-the-argument-now-is-over-what-a-normal-year-looks-like/), The Loadstar, 2026-11-06 ## More on this topic A single bunker survey standard changes how disputes are handled. GlobalBQS went live on 2 November 2026 with a platform that brings one standard to bunker quantity surveys and on-/off-hire surveys. The aim is to replace the current mix of PDFs and port-specific formats with a consistent record. For a bunker supplier, that means the survey report, bunker receipt and sampling record should be kept together from the first delivery. For a port agent, it means a clearer file for the owner when an off-hire claim arrives. A firm Baltic Dry Index, which climbed to 2805 on 6 November 2026, usually means more port calls and more stems to survey. Survey paperwork is where a bunker dispute is won or lost. GlobalBQS, which went live on 2 November 2026, puts bunker quantity surveys and on-/off-hire surveys into one standard format, as reported by Hellenic Shipping News. For a bunker supplier, that means one file per stem: vessel name, IMO number, port, date, quantity, temperature and the surveyor's reference, kept with the bunker receipt and sampling record. Port agents and ship chandlers handle the husbandry paperwork around an off-hire claim, and ship repair yards supply dated completion documents inside the charter window. A firm Baltic Dry Index, at 2805 on 6 November 2026, points to more Capesize and Panamax port calls and more stems to survey. Related searches: bunker quantity survey; bunkering; off-hire meaning in shipping; bunker traders; marine bunker surveys --- VesselReach, built by CatalystIQ. CatalystIQ Data Classification and Analysis Services, Al Qusais, Dubai, P.O. Box 129882, United Arab Emirates. info@catalystiq.ae, +971 58 599 7894. Book a demo: https://vesselreach.si/#demo. Pricing: contact us for a quote (https://vesselreach.si/pricing).