24 March 2016
Seafreight: new rules
VGM (Verified Gross Mass) = Total weight of cargo, loading aids, dunnage and tare of container to become effective on July the 1st, 2016.
Major incidents and accidents, resulting from overweight containers, have prompted the international shipping community to take action in order to prevent incorrect weight declarations. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) in collaboration with industry representatives has, therefore, adopted specific rules as part of the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention.
The so-called VGM (Verified Gross Mass) requirements will impact the communication, infrastructure and processes of all participants in the supply chain. The time for having the VGM methodologies and requirements implemented is short.