In order to address safety problems at sea and on shore arising from container shipments that have incorrect weight declarations, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention and will enter in to force on July 1st, 2016.

At this time, the  verification of the gross weight (VGM) of a packed export container will be required before the container is loaded aboard a ship.

The responsibility for obtaining and documenting the verified gross weight (VGM) of a packed container lies with the shipper.

The SOLAS regulations provides two methods by which the shipper may obtain the VGM  of a packed container.

Method No. 1:

 After packing and sealing a container and using calibrated and certified equipment, the shipper may weigh, or have arranged that a third party weigh, the packed container.

The scale, weighbridge, lifting equipment or other devices used to verify the gross mass of the container must meet the applicable accuracy standards and requirements of the State in which the equipment is being used. .

Method No. 2:

 The shipper (or, by arrangement of the shipper, a third party) may weigh all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material to be packed in the container, and add the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses of the container’s contents.

The weighing equipment used to weigh the contents of the container must meet the applicable accuracy standards and requirements of the State in which the equipment is being used.

Furthermore, a container that does not have a verified gross weight will not be loaded onboard the vessels.

We will continue to keep you updated of any changes to this requirement.

More information can be found at:  http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/cargo-weight  which include a FAQs page

Please be advised that when providing your VGM we ask that you break down the weight to cargo weight and container Tare weight separately.

Should you have any questions, please contact your local ZIM Customer Service Representative who will be happy to assist.