Documents
Certificate of quality
Meaning
A certificate of quality records the tested specification of a cargo, such as density, sulphur and water content, usually from an independent inspector.
Also written as COQ, Quality certificate
Certificate of quality explained
Shore inspectors sample and test the cargo at loading, and the certificate travels with the cargo documents. A quality dispute at discharge compares samples taken at each stage, including from the ship's tanks.
Related terms
Bill of lading
A bill of lading (B/L) is the document issued for cargo loaded on a ship: a receipt, evidence of the carriage contract and a document of title.
Last three cargoes
Last three cargoes (L3C) are the grades a tanker carried on its three previous voyages, checked by charterers to judge contamination risk.