What is VGM ?

International Maritime Organization (IMO) promulgated the information of implementing requirements related to crosschecking verified gross mass (VGM) in the Safety of Life at Sea, and stipulated that container shall not be loaded unless the consignor on B/L provides weight of container for sea transport carrier. The new stipulations highlight that:

1.The consigner shall be responsible for providing container weight

2.There exist two permitted weighing methods to judge weight of container

3.The wharf operator is obliged to ensure only the container with weight verified boards.

It follows that the new stipulations play a vital role in maritime safety, and reducing risks in goods, container and all aspects involved by container transport in the whole supply chain.

There are mainly two approaches through which the consignor provides weight of container:

The second method is obviously not practically for bulk cargo clients, such as old metal, grain, etc. This also depends on the local supervision departments allowing using this method.

According to the new stipulations, the consignor shall be responsible for providing total crosschecked weight for each loaded container for sea transport carrier or wharf representative. But who is the consignor designated by the new regulation? The consignor is supposed to be a legal entity.

1.Refers to the consignor on O.B/L or sea waybill as well as related transportation file

2.Refers to one party or representative signing transport contract with shipping company. Thus no matter whether he represents a third party or others, the consignor shall be responsible for providing crosschecking of weight of loaded container, so he must know the new regulations.

3.No matter whether he has uploaded this kind of documents through official website of company or EDI system, the consignor shall provide auditing of cargo capacity of container in shipping indication.

4.The consignor shall plan VGM into shipping cycle

5.The consigner shall establish a flow integrating weight measurement service between each link of supply chain

(freight forwarder, trucker, wharf and shipping company).

6.As the consignor is legal superintendent providing VGM, he shall be responsible for calculating the implicit cost of this stipulation.

7.The consignor shall know local rules possibly involved and related punishment stipulations.

Due to implementation of new stipulations, the wharf has the responsibility to ensure that it possesses complete VGM information for each booked space before finally confirming shipment plan. The Maersk Line will guarantee the final loading plan only contains this part of booked space.

The wharf will receive VGM information sent by consignor or ocean carrier, so it shall be provided with facilities receiving EDI or other system equipment to ensure information can enter system timely.  If VGM information is submitted under supervision of port, the wharf shall send information to the carrier. Maersk Line will actively contact wharf to ensure smooth completion of communication.

In rare examples, the wharf possibly has weighed container whose VGM information has been submitted. If any differences between the two, we will take the value selected by wharf as the final result.