Our services

Damage surveys

Following sea voyage damage, we can perform:

  • Damage assessments
  • Valuation of damages
  • Investigation on the causes of damage
  • Salvage sale

Survey on breakbulk and bulk cargo

In many ports in Africa, we are monitoring, on behalf of Cargo Underwriters, the unloading operations of breakbulk cargo. With this, we are able to both set up a damage prevention scheme during unloading as well as, in case of damage during sea voyage, to assess acurately and in a contradictory manner, damaged quantities and the causes of these damages.

Since its inception, JLB Expertises has been developing expertise in rice, flour, sugar, cement, cereals, fruits and frozen products.

Our staff is trained to work in all the African ports where we are represented (cf. Geographies). Our supervisors and surveyors have over 10 years of experience gained through the many missions they’ve been assigned to throughout the various countries covered by JLB.

During the operations, our “back office” in Marseille keeps our principals informed with daily reports on the conditions and the progression of the unloading operations.

Our tally and findings are done in a contradictory manner : the documents written by JLB Expertises and signed on a daily basis by the different parties (Daily report, Letter of Protest, etc.) make it easier for insurers to process the files.

Damage prevention and risk management

Thanks to a long experience in damage survey at destination, mainly on cocoa beans, combined with a 15-year experience in controls during loading operations in producer countries, JLB Expertises is able to advise traders and insurers on risk prevention during cocoa transport.

In the main cocoa producing African countries , we perform :

  • Monitoring of ports operations: inspection of containers (dressing, cleanliness, etc) monitoring of stuffing, checking of moisture contents, control of the weight of the exported goods.
  • Conditions surveys: on barges and bulk vessels

 

For any kind of exported goods, we offer a permanent control of loading operations.

Quality control

Since its inception, JLB Expertises has always made sure that its staff developed a real knowledge on the surveyed products. Thanks to this policy, we are now able to offer quality controls on agricultural products exported from Africa.

Cocoa

In the main West African countries (Ivory Coast, Ghana, Togo, Nigeria, Liberia, Cameroun, Sierra Leona, Guinea, Madagascar) the samples due to be analysed are prepared, according to the FCC standards, by our own staff on the lots designated by our Principals.

Each subsidiary is equipped with a laboratory. Our staff is trained in quality analysis : cut tests, moisture, bean count, FFA on demand.

Our equipment is regularly maintained and our measures equipment (scales, Aqua Boy and Dickey Jones) are periodically calibrated.

Our West African branches are all members of the Federation of Cocoa Commerce (FCC). Our teams are present during stuffing to guarantee traceability of the sampled lots and make sure that the FCC norms are applied.

Most of the time, we combine quality controls with measures of damage prevention and monitoring during loading operations.

Vanilla, Spices, Essential Oil

Quality controls on these products are done in Madagascar. For more details on these services, visit the JLB Madagascar website.