From July 1, shippers will have to inform shipping lines and container terminal operators in advance the verified gross mass (VGM) of containers before the cargo is loaded on to ships.

Under the new maritime regulation, as a safety feature to prevent overloading of ships, it becomes mandatory for shippers, including manufacturers, ship agents and freight forwarders, to communicate VGM to shipping lines and terminal operators if the containers are to be taken on board.

Shippers now declare the gross weight of containers only in shipping bills. However, the new requirement to verify gross mass of packed container is being introduced under the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) adopted by International Maritime Organisation. This is to ensure that mass declared is a true reflection of gross mass of packed container to avoid injury, cargo damage and loss of containers, said sources.

However, with less than three days to go, there is a lack of awareness among shippers.

The Government should have created awareness on VGM among shippers who will be accountable for mis-declaration. Some of the large shippers may put up weighing machines at their premises, said an official of a Chennai-based manufacturing company.

Industry chambers have woken up at the last minute and are trying to create awareness among maritime and trade community on VGM, said J Krishnan of Natesa Iyer & Co, a freight forwarder. “Trade has not taken up the issue seriously,” he said.

Globally, nearly, 35 per cent of weight declaration is inaccurate. Indian container terminals allow additional weight of up to 3 tonnes per container. This means, in a ship that carries 2,000 containers there is an overload of nearly 6,000 tonnes creating an imbalance. A 20-ft container weighs around 2.3 tonnes with a payload capacity of 25 tonnes, said Krishnan.

The substantial deviation between declared gross mass of container and its actual gross mass resulted in several shipping casualties as actual weight distribution on board ship differed from the ship's stowage plan. The unaccounted deviation in container gross mass resulted in stack collapse, lost containers, damage to ships, cargo and environment, said sources.

If VGM information is not shared in time by the shipper, then containers will not be loaded on board the vessel – with no exception, said the Ministry of Shipping, which issued guidelines on VGM on May 11.

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