Coast Guard Publishes Marine Safety Bulletin on Container Weights

The U.S. Coast Guard has determined that existing U.S. laws and regulations for providing verified container weights are equivalent to the requirements in SOLAS Regulation VI/2.  The Coast Guard sent to the International Maritime Organization (IMO) a letter outlining its determination that its current regulatory regime provides for other entities within the container export chain to work in combination with the shipper to determine and verify container weights, and it provides ships’ masters with container weights in order to ensure ships are loaded and operated safely.  

This equivalency acknowledges the dynamic and flexible business relationship between the entities in the export chain, and it provides flexibility for these entities to reach arrangements in order to ensure compliance with the SOLAS amendments that come into effect on July 1, 2016. Shippers, carriers, terminals, and maritime associations have outlined multiple acceptable methods for providing verified gross mass (VGM).  A couple examples are:

(1) the terminal weighs the container, and when duly authorized, verifies the VGM on behalf of the shipper, and

​(2) the shipper and carrier reach agreement whereby the shipper verifies the weight of the cargo, dunnage, and other securing material, and the container’s tare weight is provided and verified by the carrier. 

To download an Adobe copy of the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Bulletin please follow this link:  U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Bulletin 009/16.