SOLAS VI, Reg.2 - Container Weighing FAQs Now Available

Amendments to SOLAS that come into effect globally on July 1, 2016 require packed shipping containers to have a verified gross mass (VGM) before they can be loaded on a ship for export. That's raised all kinds of questions about who will have to do the weighing and how it can be done.

Now an industry coalition has come up with some of the answers.The World Shipping Council (WSC), the TT Club, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA), and the Global Shippers' Forum (GSF) today jointly released a new Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document to address issues arising from the new regulations.

The amendments were adopted by IMO (International Maritime Organization) to enhance maritime safety and reduce the dangers to containerships, their crews, and all those involved in container transport throughout the supply chain. The FAQs have been developed by the industry coalition in response to numerous questions from shippers, carriers, forwarders, and terminal operators about the steps they must take to ensure successful implementation of the new regulations.

This initial FAQs document seeks to clarify how the SOLAS container weight verification requirements will function in various situations. It identifies commercial and operational arrangements that will have to be addressed, and it flags issues that must be dealt with by national governments.The FAQs are based on actual questions from affected stakeholders, and they will be expanded as new issues emerge.

There are two documents below available for download. Click on below images to access the documents.