(1) What is VGM?

VGM: Requirement to verify gross container weight; a commitment to safety. Misreporting of gross container mass poses risks and leads to incidents for people, both inland and sea, and equipment, both inside and outside the country, and the verification of gross container mass (VGM) regulations are designed to reduce such incidents.

(2) Requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea on the implementation of VGM

The Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Amendment, which will take effect on 1 July 2016, affects all shippers and requires shippers to submit a verified gross container weight prior to loading a laden container.

a. What does Verified Gross Container Mass (VGM) mean?

The verified gross weight of the container is the combined gross weight of the cargo and the tare weight of the container, including packing and dunnage

b. Effective date to implement VGM requirements?

The VGM requirements of this regulation came into effect on July 1, 2016. Since then, most shipping companies will not allow loaded containers to be loaded into ships unless the shipper submits the VGM information of the container.

(3) Impact on the shipper

a. Who is responsible for submitting VGM information?

The 'shipper' on the ocean bill of lading is the party responsible for supplying VGM to the carrier. Each container needs to submit VGM by the VGM deadline in order to be loaded onto the ship. The VGM cannot be submitted before the VGM deadline, and the container cannot be loaded on board

b. Will VGM be shown on the bill of lading?

Won't

c. Does VGM have requirements for bulk cargo?

Won't

(4) Responsibilities of the shipper

a. The shipper is responsible for obtaining and issuing the confirmed gross weight of the loaded container.

b. If a container is LCL by multiple shippers, it is the responsibility of the person who packs and delivers the cargo to the ocean to verify the total weight of the entire container and contents, including pallets, and other securing materials

(5) The responsibility of the carrier

The carrier and its agent shall inform the terminal operator whether the weight of the container has been verified and the specific weight information after the container arrives at the terminal and before loading.

(6) How to obtain VGM

a. Overall weighing method: after the goods are packed and the relevant doors are closed, the overall load-bearing capacity of the cargo container

Note: The equipment used to verify the total weight of the container should meet the accuracy standards and requirements of the measurement supervision department for the equipment, and certification is required.

b. Cumulative load-bearing method: cumulative load-bearing goods and their packaging plus the tare weight of the container.

Step 1: Calculate the weight of the cargo - the weight of the bulk cargo can be calculated during the production process by means of a graduated loader or by weighing the cargo as a whole.

Step 2: Calculate the weight of the packaging - obtain it from the packaging material manufacturer.

c. VGM allowable error range

VGM≤10 tons: ±0.5

VGM＞10 tons: ±5%

(7) VGM process

Deadline: Consistent with the deadline for the terminal's restricted heavy container entry; means

a. Before the VGM deadline, the shipper can apply to the shipping company to modify the VGM

b. Modification of VGM will not be accepted after the VGM deadline

c. According to different shipping companies, if there is unsubmitted VGM data under a certain box number of the shipper, the shipping company will remind customers to submit VGM information.