Verified Gross Mass (VGM): Essential Guide for Shippers
What is VGM?
Verified Gross Mass (VGM) is the total weight of a packed container, including the cargo weight, packaging material, dunnage, securing materials, and the container's tare weight.
The Reason Behind VGM Declarations
Prior to July 2016, mis declaring or under reporting container weights was a widespread issue in maritime trade. When shippers under reported weights, shipping lines unknowingly stowed containers based on inaccurate figures.
Exceeding maximum payload limits or mis calculating a ship's load distribution creates severe safety hazards:
• Structural Strain: Excessive weight exerts pressure on the vessel's hull, increasing the risk of structural failure.
• Vessel Instability: Inaccurate stowage plans alter the ship's center of gravity, potentially causing vessel capsizing or loss of control in heavy seas.
• Stack Collapses: Overloaded containers placed atop lighter one’s cause container stacks to collapse overboard.
• Equipment Overload: Unverified weight endangers port operators by stressing cranes and dockside lifting equipment beyond safe working limits.
Who is Responsible for the Declaration?
The shipper (the party named on the Bill of Lading) is legally responsible for obtaining and submitting the VGM to the ocean carrier (liner) and terminal operators.
Under the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention regulations — enforced globally by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) since July 1, 2016 — no packed container is permitted to be loaded onto a vessel without a valid VGM declaration (“No VGM, No Load”).
How to Calculate VGM
VGM = Weight of Cargo + Packaging & Dunnage + Container Tare Weight
Note: The final VGM must always be equal to or less than the Maximum Gross Weight listed on the container's CSC (Container Safety Convention) plate.
Permitted Methods for Determining VGM
1. Method 1: Weighing the completely packed and sealed container using calibrated and certified equipment (e.g., weighbridges, load cell sensing technologies).
2. Method 2: Weighing all packages, cargo items, pallets, dunnage, and securing material individually, and adding the sum to the tare weight indicated on the container door. (Method 2 must be certified and approved by the national competent authority.)
Key Takeaways
• Mandatory Requirement: A valid VGM declaration is required by law under SOLAS regulations; without it, the container will not be loaded onto the ship.
• Shipper's Legal Duty: The shipper listed on the Bill of Lading bears full legal responsibility for providing accurate VGM data before terminal cut-off deadlines.
• Safety First: VGM regulations exist to prevent vessel instability, container stack failures, hull damage, and port accidents.
• Two Approved Methods: Shippers can weigh the fully packed container (Method 1) or sum the weight of all contents plus packaging and add the container tare weight (Method 2).
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What happens if a container does not have a VGM prior to loading?
Under SOLAS regulations, a container without a VGM cannot be loaded onto the vessel. It will remain at the port terminal, incurring demurrage, storage, or extra handling fees until a valid VGM is provided or obtained.
Can an estimate or approximation be used for VGM?
No. Estimating weights is illegal under SOLAS regulations. VGM must be obtained using calibrated and certified equipment.
Where can I find the Tare Weight of a container?
The tare weight is visibly printed on the door of the container as well as on its CSC (Container Safety Convention) plate.
Who enforces VGM compliance?
VGM compliance is required under the International Maritime Organization's (IMO) SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention, which sets the global rule that all packed containers must have a Verified Gross Mass before they can be loaded onto a vessel. While the IMO establishes this requirement at the international level, actual enforcement is carried out by each contracting country's designated competent authority — such as the US Coast Guard in the United States or the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in the United Kingdom — which monitors compliance, performs checks, and can impose penalties for violations. In practice, terminal operators and shipping lines also function as important gatekeepers: they will not load a container onto a vessel unless a valid, compliant VGM has been submitted, meaning non-compliance results in immediate practical consequences like delayed shipments and additional costs, even before any formal enforcement action from a national authority.