News
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) has issued a Maritime Safety Committee (MSC) circular providing advice to Administrations, port State control authorities, companies, port terminals and masters regarding the SOLAS requirements for verified gross mass of packed containers. The new circular, agreed by IMO MSC 96th Session following discussion on the pending entry into force of the requirements in SOLAS regulations on the verification of the gross mass (VGM) of packed containers on July 1, 2016, has said that it would be beneficial if Administrations and port State control authorities could take a ''practical and pragmatic approach'' when enforcing them, for a period of three months immediately following July 1, 2016.
Concerns were noted with regards to the application of the requirements to a container which was loaded before July 1, 2016 and then transhipped. MSC also noted delegations' comments that, in the first few months after July 1, 2016, some leeway should be provided in order for any problems resulting from software updates, required for the electronic collection and transmittal of verified gross mass data, to be rectified without causing delays to containers being loaded.
This would help ensure that containers that are loaded before July 1, 2016, but transhipped on or after July 1, 2016, reach their final port of discharge without a verified gross mass and it would provide flexibility, for three months immediately after July 1, 2016, to all the stakeholders in containerized transport to refine, if necessary, procedures (e.g. updated software) for documenting, communicating and sharing electronic verified gross mass data.
