More than 90% of the industry – from shipping lines to freight forwarders and shippers – believe the new Safety of Life at Sea (Solas) verified gross mass (VGM) regulation is a positive move by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO).
But by the same token, a whopping 83.8% expect there will be challenges with the two weighing methods prescribed under the new regulation – Method 1 which sees the weighing of the full container at a weighbridge and Method 2 which involves the weighing of the contents and dunnage and adding that to the tare weight of the container.
These were two of the main findings of a Solas VGM regulation FTW survey conducted in June – mere weeks ahead of the July 1 implementation deadline set by the IMO.
Most welcomed the decision for the obvious reasons – safety at sea and potential loss of valuable cargo if the regulation is not implemented. But some pointed out some other benefits many have perhaps not considered.
To read this, and other FTW articles from the latest logistics feature, click here.
