On July 1, 2016, a new mandate requiring a “verified gross mass” (VGM) for shipping containers prior to loading aboard a containership goes into effect. The National Industrial Transportation League (NIT League) provided this FAQ document that further discusses this matter. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted this mandate to address intentional and accidental misdeclaration of container weights that have been the source of various marine casualties.
According to the NIT League, “U.S. exporters will have to provide a verified weight of their loaded container(s) to their carrier; carriers will use the information in creating the stowage plan for individual ship sailings, working with marine terminal personnel. Many U.S. exporters are already in compliance, but not all. The FAQ document describes the two alternative means to obtain a verified weight. U.S. importers need to be assured that their foreign sources are in compliance with the new requirement. The “penalty” for noncompliance is straightforward: the container will not be loaded aboard the ship.”
Since the Dec. 11th memorandum, some additional information has become available. The Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association (OCEMA) has developed VGM Best Practices and a VGM Process Map. Both documents are summarized on this OCEMA press release.