The World Shipping Council (WSC), the TT Club, the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA) and the Global Shippers’ Forum (GSF) jointly released the new FAQ document based on actual questions from affected stakeholders regarding proper implementation of the new regulations.
The supplementary FAQs include new questions and answers as well as expanded answers to some of the questions listed in the previous document published in December 2015. As such, these FAQs do not introduce new interpretations or approaches, but seek to provide further assistance in explaining the SOLAS VGM requirements by building on existing guidance material, the coalition stated.
The amendments to SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) require packed shipping containers to have a verified gross mass (VGM) before they can be loaded on a ship for export.
Some of the supplementary FAQs explain in more detail how the VGM requirements should be fulfilled in various circumstances as described in questions received from supply chain parties. Other supplementary FAQs are intended to give additional information regarding the two methods that may be used under the SOLAS VGM requirements to obtain the verified gross mass of a packed container.