April 11, 2016 – The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) has amended its convention to mandate “Container Weight”. The mandate requires the weight of cargo loaded containers be certified before loading on a vessel. Cargo loaded containers can be defined as the cargo weight + the equipment weight.
The ruling affects shipments globally and is in response to noted sea disasters caused by this issue. Responsibility for weight verification will reside with the shipper of the cargo and the requirement will become effective on July 1, 2016. The shipper may elect an agent to verify weight (a 3rd party in the case of consolidation, or other reason), though ultimate responsibility will still remain with the shipper. Carriers, Terminals and freight forwarders are beginning to put processes in place to support the requirements. However, there remains some uncertainty on how to deal with containers delivered to terminals without the required weight verification. Here is an attachment from the Journal of Commerce (JOC) providing a visual of the process.
How It Affects Your Business?
How Should You Handle It?
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