Damage Surveys & Fact-Finding
SEMAD S.A. operates as a premier independent cargo surveying and damage
assessment authority in Madagascar. Serving as the official representative for WK Webster & Co. Ltd (renowned international claims adjusters) and acting on behalf of global marine underwriters, international P&I Clubs, and local insurers, we provide impartial, facts- driven investigations.
We serve as the trusted « eyes and ears » of our international and domestic principals, deploying rapidly to ports or inland locations to investigate incidents, accurately establish liabilities, and offer expert guidance on loss mitigation.
We serve as the trusted « eyes and ears » of our international and domestic principals, deploying rapidly to ports or inland locations to investigate incidents, accurately establish liabilities, and offer expert guidance on loss mitigation.
OUR SERVICES
Independent Damage Assessment & Cause Investigation
We conduct exhaustive on-site physical examinations to determine the exact circumstances of a loss.
- Nature and Extent Analysis : Detailed physical inspection and precise tallying to quantify and qualify the visible damages, shortages, or contamination.
- Root-Cause Analysis : Rigorous factual investigation into the apparent causes and origins of the damage, backed by documentary reconciliation.
- Securing Evidence : Issuance of comprehensive questionnaires and formal requests for complementary shipping, port, or meteorological documentation to interested parties to build legally defensible files.
Technical Field Testing (e.g., Silver Nitrate Testing)
Our surveyors leverage reliable field testing methods to provide indisputable evidence for claims handling.
- Salinity Detection : On-demand execution of specialized field tests, such as the Silver Nitrate Test, to definitively identify whether cargo wetting is caused by freshwater (rain/condensation) or seawater infiltration, establishing clear boundaries of liability.
Loss Mitigation & Advisory (Mitigation of Loss)
In strict compliance with marine insurance standards, we act proactively to limit financial exposure.
- Salvage Guidance : Independent recommendations to insurers and cargo owners on immediate actions to mitigate losses, such as sorting sound cargo from damaged units, organizing re-bagging, or evaluating salvage value.
Expertise across diverse coomodites
Our damage surveying capabilities are entirely versatile and adapt to any type of cargo
present on the Madagascar market :
- Bagged Foodstuffs & Commodities : Rice, flour, sugar, cement, etc.
- Vehicles & Heavy Machinery : Passenger cars, transport trucks, and construction equipment.
- Project & Industrial Cargo : Industrial items, including prefabricated containers, infrastructure steel pylons, and complex bulk materials.