Grain Inspection and Sampling Services
By Bilal Alwan
At Nouri Alwan Marine Surveyor and Consultancy (NAMSC), all grain and bulk agricultural commodity sampling operations are conducted in strict accordance with the internationally recognized Grain and Feed Trade Association Sampling Rules No. 124 (GAFTA 124). This standard defines the complete framework for drawing, reducing, sealing, and distributing representative samples across every stage of a commodity transaction, and is universally applied in the global grain and feed trade as the authoritative basis for fair, defensible quality determination.
Our qualified surveyors apply GAFTA 124 protocols during loading, discharge, and storage operations at ports, terminals, and grain handling facilities worldwide. Increment samples are collected systematically and at the frequencies prescribed by the standard, using calibrated equipment including grain probes, cross-stream cutters, and hand scoops. These increments are then combined and reduced using riffle or Boerner dividers to produce contractual sample sets that are genuinely representative of the entire consignment, not just a portion of it.
Moisture content is one of the most commercially significant quality parameters in bulk grain trade. It directly affects cargo weight, storage risk, and final commercial value. NAMSC moisture testing is conducted using the analysis methods specified within GAFTA 124, with samples sealed and dispatched promptly to analysts on the GAFTA Approved Register to preserve accuracy from the moment of sealing through to the laboratory result.
As a GAFTA-registered superintendent, NAMSC operates with complete independence from both buying and selling parties. Our surveyors are bound by the GAFTA Code of Practice and produce fully documented, tamper-evident sample sets supported by detailed sampling certificates. This documentation is formatted to meet the requirements of GAFTA arbitration and international trade finance, giving clients confidence that every result will stand up to scrutiny at any point in the commercial or dispute resolution process.
Our services cover a wide range of bulk agricultural commodities and are available at all major ports and terminals across the regions we serve. Whether you require routine superintendent attendance, independent joint sampling with a counterparty’s surveyor, or sampling during a complex multiport voyage, NAMSC provides the expertise and operational capacity to deliver.
Our Grain Sampling Services Include
- Sampling during loading, discharge, and storage at ports, silos, and inland terminals
- On-board sampling from bulk cargo holds and during transshipment operations.
- Increment collection using grain probes, cross-stream cutters, and approved hand sampling tools
- Aggregate sample reduction using calibrated riffle and Boerner dividers
- Sealing, labelling, and dispatch of contractual sample sets to GAFTA-approved analysts
- Moisture testing in accordance with GAFTA 124 analysis methods
- Independent and joint superintendent arrangements
- Coverage of wheat, barley, corn, soybeans, sunflower, sorghum, rice, pulses, and animal feed
- Sampling certificates, inspection reports, and full operational documentation
Precision Sampling. Independent Results. Global Standards.
