SOLAS VGM

On 1st July 2016, Contracting Governments to the International Maritime Organization’s SOLAS treaty (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) will be required to implement new requirements related to the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of packed containers.

The new regulation puts the responsibility on the shipper to ensure that an accurate VGM is provided to the terminal/carrier for every container loaded prior to it being allowed to be shipped on-board on a vessel.

Marine Transport International in conjunction with a technology provider have created a mobile application which allow parties in the supply chain to submit the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) to the concerned party. The shipper can provide access through www.solasvgm.com to any party in the supply chain to submit the VGM on the shippers behalf. Alternatively the member of the supply chain can submit the VGM directly to the terminal.

The mobile application is designed for all countries who’s carriers and terminals accept the VERMAS UN message format to verify the weight of shipping containers and therefore load on the intended vessel. This application can also be used by suppliers, truckers and weigh bridge operators to submit VGM’s to the terminal in order to gain access where there are NO VGM -> NO GATE IN policies or alternatively charges for weighing services where no VGM has been submitted to the terminal/carrier on the containers arrival.

Pictures of the weigh bridge ticket can be uploaded to the desktop and mobile application, thus allowing for an audit trail for submitted VGMs. The intent of the application is to allow shippers to remain compliant with the regulation and remove disruption from the landside supply chain.