To Our Valued Customers,

Effective from July 1, 2016, the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) requires the shipper named on ocean carrier's bill of lading has to provide a verified gross mass (VGM) for packed container. The declaration of the verified gross mass should be signed and dated by a person duly authorized by the shipper and submit to the carrier via either electronic interchange channels or a physical shipping document. Without a verified gross mass, the packed container shall not be loaded aboard ship.

The rules prescribe two methods by which the shipper may obtain the verified gross mass of a packed container:

Method 1, upon the conclusion of packing and sealing a container, the shipper may weigh, or have arranged that a third party weigh, the packed container.

Method 2, the shipper (or, by arrangement of the shipper, a third party) may weigh all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material to be packed in the container, and add the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses of the container's contents. (Estimating the weight of a container's contents is not permitted.)

In respect of both method 1 and 2, the weighing equipment used must meet the applicable accuracy standards and requirements of the State in which the equipment is being used.

Yang Ming will continue to provide updated developments on this issue.
For more details and FAQ, please refer to below information:
http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/cargo-weight
http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/faqs/SOLAS_VGM__Industry_FAQs_Dec_2015_US_letter_WEB.pdf