When there was a news about a shipwreck, gyogi (manager) of kaisen donya (wholesaler in port) and sodai (representative of consignors) were dispatched to the coast near the accident site, where they investigated the extent of damage (this is called 'ura-aratame').
難船のしらせが来ると、廻船問屋の行司、荷主の総代が改人としてその浦方に出張し、海難の程度を検査し（これを「浦改」（うらあらため）という。