SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) and VGM (Verified Gross Mass): Our global teams of experts are on hand to ensure that all information is provided before any containers reach the carrier’s port terminal.
Do you ship cargo across the world? Are you aware that as a shipper you need to provide an accurate and reliable total weight of the container to the carrier?
As a result of a number of major accidents being linked to inaccurate weight declarations of the shipping container, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) in collaboration with industry representatives have adopted specific rules as part of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention to ensure reliable weights of containers are provided.
Under these rules, the shipper has to provide the ocean carrier with the Verified Gross Mass VGM) of the Container, including cargo weight, weight of all loading equipment and materials, dunnage and the tare (weight of the container). These requirements will impact the communication, infrastructure and processes of all participants in the supply chain. Our global teams of experts are on hand to guide you through the regulations and ensure that all information is provided before any containers reach the carrier’s port terminal.
There are different implementation guidelines and regulations in place across the globe.
To learn more, please see below:
- Americas
- Europe and Africa
- Middle East, Asia, and Australia
- World Shipping Council guidelines for implementing the SOLAS Container Weight Verification Requirement
- World Shipping Council: SOLAS VGM Industry FAQ’s
- International Maritime Organization (IMO): MSC VGM Guidelines
If you still need more information, please get in touch with us.