Weighty container issue moves closer to resolution

A resolution to the issue of the mandatory weighing of containers prior to being loaded on board ship is just four months away. In September this year the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) will consider an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea convention stipulating that a container should either be weighed in its entirety, or its contents weighed separately and added to the tare weight of the box, according to the British International Freight Association. The amendment would probably be adopted in December 2014, leading to an entry into force in July 2016, says Bifa. The issue has been a subject of ongoing debate in the local shipping industry as well. The question is where should the weight be verified. “It would need to be stated in the shipping document, though the fact that this was prepared before the vessel was loaded may raise practical difficulties,” said Richard Marks, director of the International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA). Marks said weighing containers at the gatehouse on entry to the port was difficult and expensive, and could impact especially on just-in-time deliveries. Bifa manager of trade services, Robert Windsor, said everyone in the supply chain had obligations and responsibilities, but if one person got it wrong, there were likely consequences for all the rest.