USCG Issue a Bulletin on Container Weight Verification

The United States Coast Guard (USCG) has issued a Marine Safety Bulletin on the forthcoming amendments to SOLAS Regulation VI/2 and container weight verification (“CWV”).

The USCG has sent a letter to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) advising “that existing U.S. laws and regulations for providing verified container weights are equivalent to the   requirements in SOLAS Regulation VI/2”.                                                                                                                                

It gives two examples of “acceptable methods for providing verified gross mass (“VGM”)”:

1.    The terminal weighs the container, and when duly authorised, verifies the VGM on behalf of the shipper, and

2.    The shipper and carrier reach agreement whereby the shipper verifies the weight of the cargo, dunnage, and other securing material, and the container’s tare weight is provided and verified by the carrier.

Finally, the USCG states in conclusion that the USCG, as part of its normal vessel inspections under its flag state and port state control authorities “will continue to verify that ship’s masters receive the VGM of containers in order to ensure that ships are loaded safely and operate within their structural and stability safety limitations”.

The full text of the Marine Safety Bulletin 009/16 can be accessed by clicking here.