13.09.09Maritime Groups Urge IMO to Address Misdeclared Container Problem

The four international maritime organizations of BIMCO, the World Shipping Council (WSC), the International Association of Ports and Harbors (IAPH) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) have joined in the effort to encourage the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to amend the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) to require that the ship and the port facility be provided with a verified actual weight of the container before the container is loaded onto a ship.

The IMO is to address this safety problem and thus consider on September 16-20, 2013 a compromise solution worked out by 15 governments and 13 industry groups. The four organizations have consultative status at the IMO.

''Misdeclared container cargo weights have been a long-standing problem for the transportation industry and for governments. The problem is significant and arises in almost every trade. Misdeclared container weights present safety hazards for ships, their crews, other cargo on board, workers in the port facilities handling containers, and on roads. Incorrectly declared weights lead to incorrect ship stowage and accidents,'' said the WSC.