Key takeaways
- A pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is an independent check of quantity, identity, packing, and loading before the container is sealed — the last point at which a problem is cheap to fix.
- Independent inspectors — SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, Cotecna — verify what the supplier's own Certificate of Analysis cannot: that the cargo loaded is the cargo sold.
- PSI covers physical checks (count, weight, bag condition, container cleanliness, seal) and, where specified, drawing samples for lab confirmation of grade against the CoA.
- Require PSI on first orders with a new supplier, on high-value or food-contact cargo, and wherever an L/C or contract makes the inspection certificate a payment or release condition.
The supplier's Certificate of Analysis tells you what the producer made. It cannot tell you what went into your container. The gap between those two facts is where short weight, the wrong lot, wet or torn bags, and a dirty container all live — and the only place that gap closes cheaply is before the doors are sealed. A pre-shipment inspection is the independent check that the cargo sold is the cargo loaded.
Pre-shipment inspection is the business of the large independent inspection companies — SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, Cotecna — and a tier of regional specialists. They are appointed by the buyer or under the contract, and they have no stake in whether the sale completes. That independence is the entire point: the inspector's certificate is trusted by banks and counterparties precisely because the inspector does not get paid more if the cargo passes.
| Check | What is verified | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Quantity | Bag count, gross/net weight, tally against packing list | Catches short weight before payment |
| Identity | Grade marking, lot numbers vs CoA and contract | Confirms the right grade and lot loaded |
| Packaging | Bag integrity, liner condition, pallet wrap, FIBC closure | Prevents moisture and contamination claims |
| Container | Cleanliness, dryness, no odour or prior cargo residue | Resin contamination is irreversible |
| Sampling | Drawing representative samples for lab test (if specified) | Independent grade confirmation |
| Loading + seal | Witnessed stuffing, photos, tamper-evident seal number | Ties the sealed box to the certificate |
A basic inspection verifies count, condition, and loading. A fuller scope adds drawing representative samples and sending them to a lab to confirm the resin's melt flow index, density, or other key properties against the CoA and the contract. This is worth the extra time on first orders, on disputed grades, or where a tight spec window means a near-miss grade would still scrap the line. Specify the test parameters in the inspection order — an inspector tests what you ask for, not what you assume.
The inspection certificate earns its keep when it is a condition, not a courtesy. Under a documentary letter of credit or collection, the inspection certificate can be a required document — the bank will not release payment without it. On a closed-loop settlement the same logic applies: the certificate becomes part of the document set that triggers release. Either way, the inspection has to happen before the funds move, which is exactly when the supplier still has every incentive to get it right.
- First order with a new supplier — before a relationship has earned trust
- High-value cargo, or food-contact grades where a contamination claim is catastrophic
- Whenever the Incoterm puts loading and risk transfer at the origin, so the box is the supplier's to load correctly
- Where the contract or L/C names the certificate as a payment or release condition
- On grades with a narrow spec window, where independent sampling is the only real check
An inspection costs a few hundred dollars and a day or two of lead time. A wrong or short container costs line downtime, demurrage, a dispute across a border, and sometimes a customer. For first orders and high-stakes cargo it is the cheapest insurance in the trade — and pairing it with disciplined packaging and loading terms closes most of the avoidable risk before the vessel ever sails.
Frequently asked
Questions on the desk
What is a pre-shipment inspection?
A pre-shipment inspection (PSI) is an independent verification, carried out by a third-party inspection company before the cargo is sealed in the container, that the goods match the contract — correct grade and quantity, sound packaging, a clean and dry container, and a tamper-evident seal applied under the inspector's eye. It produces a dated inspection certificate that can be tied to payment or release.
Who carries out polymer pre-shipment inspections?
The major independent inspection companies are SGS, Intertek, Bureau Veritas, and Cotecna, alongside regional specialists. They are independent of both buyer and supplier and are appointed (and usually paid) by the buyer or under the contract. Their certificate carries weight precisely because they have no stake in the sale.
Is a Certificate of Analysis the same as an inspection?
No. A Certificate of Analysis is the producer's own lab record of the resin's properties for a given lot — it tells you what was made. A pre-shipment inspection is independent and tells you what was actually loaded into your container. The CoA can be perfect while the wrong lot, short weight, or damaged bags go into the box. Read the two together.
When should a buyer require a pre-shipment inspection?
On a first order with a new supplier; on any high-value or food-contact cargo; when the payment instrument or contract makes the inspection certificate a condition of payment or document release; and whenever the cost of a wrong or short shipment — line downtime, a failed audit, demurrage — dwarfs the few hundred dollars an inspection costs.
General market commentary from the OmniaStrata desk, provided for information only. It is not legal, financial, tax, or trading advice, and it is not an offer or a commitment to any terms. Figures such as price ranges, spreads, financing costs, and credit periods are illustrative market context, not OmniaStrata's rates or terms. Actual contract terms — including price, payment instrument, credit, insurance, and Incoterms — are agreed in writing on a per-transaction basis and at OmniaStrata's discretion. Market conditions change; figures reflect the publication date.