Container Weight News

APM Terminals Gothenburg has managed to cut quay crane waiting times by as much as 90% by implementing new standard operational procedures for container lashing. This translates to a reduction from 38 minutes to just four.Using ‘Lean’ methodology, which is being adopted across all of the company’s terminals around the world, a Transformation Team at APM Terminals Gothenburg identified the root cause of the time delay – inaccurate information provided to the vessel crew.As a result, the team has implemented a revised process to ensure that the information sent out to each vessel call is clear, accurate and standardized.Vessel crews now commence unlashing in the order and sequence required to optimize the operation.

Two years since the introduction of Verified Gross Mass (VGM) regulations, the industry appears to have achieved compliance but, “the accuracy of recorded weights still needs attention,” said a press release from APM Terminals.According to Praful Waghela, Global Product Manager VGM Services at APM Terminals, an additional validation step prior to final loading could help.Since July 2016, the verification of a container’s weight (VGM) has been a requirement under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).While most of APM Terminals’ facilities are equipped with calibrated and certified facilities to record and transmit accurate VGM to shipping lines…

Every port and terminal facility needs weighing systems for containers. Weighing is critical in several processes in ports where accurate readings are paramount. To achieve this, the following weighing solutions can be incorporated. Weighbridges offer a vehicle weighing solution that may be placed at entrances and exits of the ports and terminals. An incoming truck can drive over the weighbridge and the total weight will be registered immediately. The tare weight of the truck must be deducted from the total weight to determine the container weight.

South Africa-based School of Shipping, which offers adults an education in maritime studies specifically relating to importing and exporting, and INTTRA, the world's ocean shipping electronic marketplace, announced a collaboration through which School of Shipping students will make use of INTTRA's training environment as part of their coursework. Students will be able to simulate shipment management for the ocean stages of container transport. That process includes planning container bookings through Ocean Schedules (INTTRA's search tool to identify sailings), executing bookings, submitting shipping instructions and container weight information for SOLAS VGM compliance, tracking containers and a range of other functions.

Marking its 15th Anniversary in 2016, INTTRA, the world's ocean shipping electronic marketplace, looks back on the success of its innovative platform while embracing its future as the digital leader in logistics - growing rapidly and expanding its offering. "Since its founding in 2001, INTTRA has led technology adoption and the process of setting common standards in the ocean shipping industry," said INTTRA CEO John Fay. "INTTRA's products and platform create tangible value both to the bottom lines of customers and their quality of service. I'd like to thank our customers and employees for their support and invaluable contributions to INTTRA's growth and leadership of the ocean industry in technology.

INTTRA, the world's ocean shipping electronic marketplace, and NYK Line, informed that NYK has joined the rapidly growing INTTRA eVGM network for facilitating compliance with new container weight requirements adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), which went into effect on July 1, 2016. NYK is offering the INTTRA eVGM Service to customers as one solution via which they can exchange and process the container weight information required to meet the IMO's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Verified Gross Mass (VGM) requirement. Under SOLAS VGM, every container must have a VGM - or certified weight - to be loaded onto a ship.

The Port of Ningbo has integrated CargoSmart’s software for shippers and forwarders to meet new container weight requirements with its electronic platform for exchanging data between logistics providers, as well as between logistics providers and government agencies, the port said. CargoSmart Limited also announced that Ningbo E-port has extended its cooperation with CargoSmart to meet the new container weight requirements for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention. Shippers and freight forwarders can now submit the verified gross mass (VGM) of their Port of Ningbo-Zhoushan export containers through Ningbo E-port's platform at no additional charge.

United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) announced today the conclusion of a 100% compliant Verified Gross Mass (VGM) lift of 159 UASC containers on board CSCL’s Saturn. This achievement comes ahead of the VGM requirement deadline of July 1st, 2016 making container weight verification a condition for vessel loading. The VGM requirement is an industry wide initiative that was kicked-started by the IMO Maritime Safety Committee’s recently approved changes to the SOLAS convention. UASC is working closely with its customers and partners to ensure the requirement that becomes legally binding tomorrow will accomplish its goal to increase maritime safety and reduce the dangers to cargo, containers and all those involved in container transport throughout the supply chain.

Shipping company Hapag-Lloyd and ocean shipping electronic marketplace INTTRA announced an agreement under which Hapag-Lloyd will connect with the INTTRA eVGM Service for facilitating compliance with new International Maritime Organization container weight requirements. Under the IMO's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Verified Gross Mass (VGM) amendment going into effect on July 1, every shipping container must have a VGM, or certified weight, in order to be loaded onto a ship. Available…

The SOLAS Container Weight Verification Requirement Verified Gross Mass (VGM) - System readiness by UASC. United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) announced that the following e-channels will be ready for receiving and processing the VGM information on/after 18 June, 2016. This will allow customers to submit the VGM for cargo which is shipped before implementation effectiveness of 1 July, 2016. Third party portals (e.g. Additionally, to provide customers with the latest about the regulation, UASC has revamped its existing VGM webpage covering the following elements: VGM Video providing you with an overview of the regulation and what it entails…

Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Ports and Shipping has issued guidance on the implementation of the SOLAS VI Regulation 2 amendment that requires the verification of gross mass in packed containers (Container Weight Verification) with effect from 1 July 2016. In its Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 21/2016 dated 6 June 2016, the Ministry advises that the amendment places a requirement on the shipper of packed containers to verify and provide the container’s gross mass to the carrier and terminal representative prior to it being loaded onto a ship. The vessel operator and the terminal operator are required to use verified container weights in vessel stowage plans and are prohibited from loading a packed container aboard a vessel for export if the container does not have a verified container weight.

With implementation of a new global container weight requirement less than a month away, global carrier United Arab Shipping Company (UASC) has extended its partnership with ocean shipping electronic marketplace INTTRA, to use the INTTRA eVGM Service as a channel to facilitate compliance with the new rule. As of July 1, under the International Maritime Organization's Safety of Life at Sea Verified Gross Mass amendment (SOLAS VGM) as adopted, every container must have a certified weight in order to gain clearance to be loaded onto a ship.

With new rules regarding the declaration of the accurate gross mass of a packed containers due to enter force, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) answers the industry’s frequently asked questions (FAQ). What are the new rules? On July 1, 2016, new requirements to verify the gross mass of a packed container enter into force under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS). Why have the requirements for verification of the gross mass of the container been introduced?

Starting July 1, 2016, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) Maritime Safety Committee approved amendments to The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Seas’ (SOLAS), will require that shippers verify gross container weight prior to shipping. But now, according to a report in the WSJ, IMO says ‘practical and pragmatic’ three-month grace period would calm exporter fears of widespread backups. The top global shipping regulator, trying to quiet industry alarms over impending rules that exporters fear will trigger widespread backups at ports, is recommending a three-month grace period for enforcing the ship-safety rule. Drewry Shipping Consultants Ltd.

Terminal operators at Broward County's Port Everglades say they are already equipped to help shippers handle the new international container weight verification requirements that go into effect on July 1, 2016. Certified scales are available at several locations throughout Port Everglades to use to weigh export containers. Ocean shippers are encouraged to confirm availability and fees with their contracted marine terminal operators for compliance with the new verified gross mass (VGM) requirements. "On-port scales, which have already been certified by the state, should help shippers meet the new requirements without services delays," said Port Everglades Chief Executive & Port Director Steve Cernak.

Speaking at the Intermodal Association of North America on May 5 in Chicago, U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. Doyle discussed several of the shipping industry’s hottest topics, including ocean carrier consolidations and alliances, container weight VGM under SOLAS, and chassis. “We’ve all heard the recent announcements related to consolidations, for instance, CGM CGM and NOL-APL; and COSCO and CSCL. “We’ve all heard the announcement that Hapag Lloyd and UASC are in discussions on a possible merger.

Directorate General of Shipping will issue guidelines for the Safety of Life at Sea Convention  (SOLAS)  convention on container weight verification next week, said Deepak Shetty, Director General of Shipping, Government of India yesterday in Mumbai. “By July 1, 2016, we have to put the regulation in place and the file has come to our table and the circular will be issued by Monday or Tuesday. We will be one of the first few countries on a task as daunting as this,” Shetty said delivering his key note address at a conference on `Ease of doing business’ organised by Mumbai and Nhava Sheva Ship Agents Association. The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has amended SOLAS that seeks verification of container weight and holds the shipper responsible for it effective July 1, 2016.

U.S. Federal Maritime Commissioner William P. “OCEMA's statement on container weighing this evening is welcome news,” Doyle said. “The ocean carriers, marine terminal operators and shippers must work together to find common sense solutions. “While OCEMA's announcement is certainly a step in the right direction, we still need to address an important liability issue for the shippers. The shippers do not own, maintain and/or control ocean shipping containers,” Doyle continued. “The…

Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) Chairman Mario Cordero issued a statement regarding the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Verified Gross Mass (VGM) amendments implementation, calling for negotiation between shippers and carriers. "I applaud Chairman Hunter and Ranking Member Garamendi for including SOLAS VGM amendments implementation as a topic of yesterday’s hearing held by the House Subcommittee on Coast Guard & Maritime Transportation. "Although the FMC does not have a role in promulgating and implementing the SOLAS VGM amendment…

Container shipping company MSC and ocean shipping electronic marketplace INTTRA have entered a new partnership aiming to introduce a customer-friendly solution to new container weight safety regulations. Under the agreement, MSC will use INTTRA's eVGM software as a channel for receiving verified gross mass (VGM) submissions from shippers. As of July 1, under the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) GM amendment, no container will be cleared to be loaded onto a ship until the shipper or its designee provides a verified weight to the carrier.

U.S. High-ranking government officials, policy influencers, port authority CEOs and senior staff from throughout the Western Hemisphere, along with a host of maritime industry leaders will converge on Washington, D.C., April 4-6, to participate in the 2016 Spring Conference of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) – the unified and recognized voice of seaports in the Americas. Among the conference highlights will be a keynote luncheon address by U.S. Secretary of Transportation Anthony Foxx on April 6…

The Port of Barcelona reports it has become the first port in Spain to complete and make available a procedure for its customers and users in line with the container weighing new rules adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and incorporated into Chapter VI of the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention specifying that shippers (forwarders, logistics operators or owners of the goods) shall be responsible for weighing each full container before shipment. The obligation…

The new rules, adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and incorporated into Chapter VI of the Safety Of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention, specify that the shipper (forwarder, logistics operator or owner of the goods) shall be responsible for weighing the full container before shipment. The Port of Barcelona is the first port in Spain to complete and make available such a procedure to its customers and users in line with the new rules, and its Port Community is preparing to adapt to the new requirements. The obligation to declare container weight before shipment is designed to improve the safety of seafarers and of everyone involved in the logistics chain.