Calculating Verified Gross Mass (VGM) for apparel shipments

Apparel Exporters Container Weight Verification Requirement: SOLAS

What are the New Requirements?

The International Maritime Organization has amended the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) to require that shippers submit the verified weight of a packed container (the “verified gross mass” or VGM) before the container can be loaded onto a ship for export.

VGM of a container must be weighed, verified and correctly declared prior to vessel loading

In a nutshell, VGM = Cargo weight + Packing material weight + Container Tare Weight

These new container weight verification requirements become effective July 1, 2016 and apply globally.

There are two acceptable methods for weighing the container:

1. Weighing the container after it has been packed

2. Weighing all cargo and contents of the container and then adding the container's tare weight

Each country will be responsible for stating how they will implement and enforce the rule.

For more information, you can see the following links:

World Shipping Weight Verification Requirement

IMO (International Maritime Organization) - Verification of the gross mass of a packed container

Learn more about apparel freight relevant topics.

You might want to also learn about how to calculate volumetric weight (or dimensional weight).  Visiting our calculating volume page may also be helpful to you if you are planning an apparel freight shipment.