Verified Gross Mass

With the new regulation, the shipper will be the responsible party for providing the verified gross mass of every container to the ocean carrier and the terminal representative before vessel loading. But who is the shipper in the context of this new regulation? The shipper is the legal entity;

• Named on the ocean bill of lading or sea way bill or equivalent multimodal transport document as shipper.
• With whom (or in whose name or on whose behalf) a contract of carriage has been concluded with a shipping company.

Thus, irrespective if delegated to a 3rd party or similar, the shipper will always be the responsible party for providing VGM information so they should be aware of the impact of this new procedure;

• Shipper will need to provide VGM information of their containers on shipping instructions no matter whether they send this documentation manually via maersk.com, API or via EDI.
• Shipper will need to plan for VGM in the shipment cycle.
• They need to establish a process between supply chain members (forwarders, truckers, terminals and   shipping line) integrating weighing service.
• Shippers need to calculate the potential cost impact for arranging this service as they are legally responsible to obtain and provide VGM.
• They need to be aware of possible local legislation regarding government imposed penalties/fines.
• If a shipper does not comply and provide the VGM information in time the carrier and the terminal representative will not load the containers on the vessel.
• Maersk will assess impact of VGM regulations issued by governments. Our aim is to ensure an easy submission of VGM for our customers and easy information
• exchange with terminals.

Shippers will need to share VGM information of their containers on shipping instructions, no matter whether they send this document manually, via maersk.com, API or via EDI.

The IMO regulation is clear that no container shall be loaded on a vessel unless a VGM is provided- with no exceptions. It is, therefore, the terminal operator’s obligation that a VGM exists before including containers in the final stowage plan. Maersk will ensure that the final load list only includes containers with a VGM.

Local and national legislation will dictate the consequences of loading a container without a VGM, and terminal operators naturally need to be aware of this.

Terminal operators will be receiving the VGM information either from the shipper or from the ocean carrier, and will need to have EDI or other processes in place to receive and process this information. If the VGM is obtained by weighing at the terminal operator’s premises, the terminal operator needs a process to send this VGM information back to the carrier. Maersk will be liaising with all terminal operators to ensure that a process is in place.

In rare cases, terminals may weigh a packed container for which a VGM has already been communicated. Where different, the VGM arrived at by the terminal will be used.

Other vendors that are not part of the SOLAS Amendment - providing services such as barge, rail, depot, trucking, etc. at origin – may be included in the delivery of information relevant for the SOLAS Amendment where this is practical.