OOCL關于集裝箱重量驗證(VGM)

Verified Gross Mass (VGM) requirements under the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention

To improve safety in the supply chain, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has made amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention indicating that all shippers must comply with mandatory container weight verification requirements, or Verified Gross Mass (VGM), effective July 1, 2016. 

Currently the industry is in ongoing discussions with many regulatory authorities and stakeholders to ascertain the implementation details and policies on such requirements as well as to ensure that process and system readiness for compliance is in order before the effective date. 

A number of regulatory authorities have already published their guidelines and regulations to help the industry comply with the new VGM rules while some countries such as China have announced that they are in the final stages of policy development.

The fundamental elements 

Principle

• “No      VGM, No loading.” A      container without a VGM is not allowed to load onto the vessel.

• Terminals observing the      SOLAS Convention and/or local regulatory requirements will reject      containers at the gate if no VGM is provided. The shipper is responsible      for the potential regulatory penalties and all costs associated to the      exception handling of the containers without the VGM.

What? 

• VGM is the total gross mass of a      packed container which includes the cargo      weight, block & bracing materials and container tare.      The SOLAS Convention offers two methods to obtain the VGM:

Method No. 1 - Weighing
Weighing the packed container using calibrated and certified weighing equipment 

Method No. 2 – Calculating
The sum of the single masses = Mass of cargo items + all packages (pallets, dunnage, securing material packed in the container) + container tare weight as certified and approved by the national authorized body 
Note: 
1. It is inappropriate and impractical to adopt Method No. 2 for Scrap metal, unbagged grain and other cargo in bulk. 
2. The container tare weight can be obtained by online enquiry through OOCL.com or from the print as indicated on the container itself.

• If a container with a      gross mass exceeding its maximum permitted limit (the maximum payload) as      indicated on the Safety Approval Plate under the International Convention      for Safe Containers (CSC), the container willNOT      be loaded onto      a ship even with the proper VGM documentation.

Who?

• The responsibility for      obtaining and documenting the VGM of a packed container lies with the shipper shown on the Ocean Carrier Bill      of Lading.

• The shipper is      responsible to provide the VGM to      the ocean carrier and/or port terminal in order to meet the      SOLAS and local regulatory requirements and/or specific port terminal      procedures where applicable

When?

• The new SOLAS      requirements will be effective on      July 1, 2016.

• The shipper must ensure      that the VGM is provided      sufficiently in advance for use by the ship master      and the terminal representative towards the ship stowage plan.

• The      VGM CUT-OFF time will be advised in the form of a Booking Confirmation once available.

• We anticipate the VGM      CUT-OFF times will vary from one country to another and it is important to      observe that:

• Many national       authorities are still reviewing how best to facilitate the implementation       of the new SOLAS requirements in their country.

• Various ports and       terminals are also reviewing the appropriate time frame by which the VGM       must be received in order to allow for safe stowage planning and smooth       yard operation.

Where?

• Applicable to all IMO Member States.

• Transshipment handling at the ports of IMO      Member States must also have the VGM available. Shippers are requested to      communicate the VGM to OOCL before the 1st      loading port to avoid any transshipment delays and costs.

How? 

• To help customers      simplify the VGM submission to OOCL, we offer several methods for you to choose from that      best suits your needs.

• VGM      should be signed by either the shipper or a person duly authorized by the      shipper. Electronic or e-signatures are also acceptable.

• For more detail, please      refer our VGM Submission User Guide (English link / Chinese link)

Key references:

• Implementing Guidelines      issued by IMO's Maritime Safety Committee (link)

• Guidelines for Improving      Safety and Implementing the SOLAS Container Weight Verification      Requirements by World Shipping Council (WSC) (link)

• Regional Implementation      information by WSC (link)

• OOCL SOLAS VGM FAQ (link)

OOCL is committed to making safety and security a top priority in our business operations. For enquiries, please kindly contact our local representatives.