What Is The Purpose Of A Verified Gross Mass (VGM)?
The International Maritime Organization (IMO) initiated a regulation that requires shippers to indicate the VGM (Verified Gross Mass) of every container they transport. This was intended to improve the safety of everyone on board of cargo vessels as major differences in the communicated and actual container mass have led to several serious accidents in the past.
What is a Verified Gross Mass (VGM)?
A Verified Gross Mass is the combined weight of an ocean shipment’s cargo, dunnage & bracing (material used to keep the cargo in position in a ship’s hold), plus the tare weight of the container.
How Do You Determine The VGM?
The requirement provides 2 methods for the shipper to determine the VGM of the container:
Method 1:
Upon the conclusion of packing and sealing a container, the shipper may weigh, or have arranged that a third party weigh the packed container.
Method 2:
The shipper or, by arrangement of the shipper, a third party may weigh all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material to be packed in the container and add the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses of the container’s contents.
How Do I Find The Tare Weight Of A Container?
The container tare mass is indicated on the CSC sticker on the door of each container.
Where Can I Find A VGM Form?
– To download a Thompson Shipping VGM Form, click here.
– To download a Tropical Shipping VGM form, click here.