News & Publications

New Container Weight Requirement

Changes are coming to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) which will become effective on July 1, 2016. The amendments made to SOLAS will make it a violation to load a packed container onto a vessel without first making the verified weight of the container clear to the vessel operator and marine terminal operator. This responsibility for verifying container weight will fall primarily on the shipper.

These amendments have been a work in progress for more than 5 years. In 2010, the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) issued a statement that described the problems incurred due to overweight containers being loaded onto vessels. These complications could be anything from loss of cargo to damage to the ship itself. The statement by WSC and ICS led to a proposal in 2011 to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The Maritime Safety Committee and the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) voiced their interest in support of changes to SOLAS.

Eventually, several maritime organizations, along with the governments of the United States, Denmark and the Netherlands worked together to put forth a proposal. This proposal was sent to IMO asking for an amendment to SOLAS that would require shippers to weigh all packed containers prior to loading them onboard a vessel for export.  After processions that took place over the next few years, it was finally decided in 2014 that the new amendment would officially be enacted in July of 2016.

There are two different methods that can be used to determine container weight once. The first method requires that the entire container to be weighed after it has been stuffed.  The second method requires the weight of all contents to be added to the weight of the container.  The only other option is for the container to be weighed at the port, terminals and carriers will need to agree on how this will be handled.

The changes to how the loading of vessels will be handled under SOLAS will be coming this summer. These amendments are a solution to a problem that was affecting safety, operational reliability, ships, roads, and is a way for companies to save both time and money in the long run. The amendments to SOLAS will be a welcome change to the shipment process that will lead to a safer and more effective way to transport goods overseas.

If you have additional questions on the impact of these regulations on your business please contact Allyn at (239) 489-9900 or sales@allynintl.com.

 

Allyn International Services, Inc. (Allyn) is a privately-owned supply chain management, tax and customs consulting firm established in 1992. Services comprise of supply chain & logistics management, global trade compliance and US tax compliance. Allyn offers customized solutions to meet your global needs with offices in Fort Myers, Fla., Shanghai, PR China, and Prague, Czech Republic.

 

http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/cargo-weight

http://www.worldshipping.org/industry-issues/safety/WSC_Summarizes_the_Basic_Elements_of_the_SOLAS_Container_Weight_Verification_Requirement___February_2015.pdf

 

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