VGM – Terminal

The new SOLAS amendment (paragraph 5 in PDF file from worldshiping.org) requires that shippers submit the VGM "to the master or his representative and to the Terminal representative sufficiently in advance as required by the master or his representative, to be used in the preparation of the ship stowage plan."

Paragraph 6states that "if the shipping document with regards to a packed container, does not provide the verified gross mass (VGM)  and the master or his representative and the Terminal representative have not obtained the verified gross mass of the packed container, it shall not be loaded on to the ship".

These paragraphs set a joint responsibility to the carrier and the terminal operator to ensure that as a condition for loading a packed container onto ship, the VGM for such container must be available.

Noting that different handling of VGM may vary, it is essential that this topic can be communicated efficiently between related parties. We have therefore listed below the preferred VGM communication messages, emphasizing the driving activity (event) where these can be used:

• Pre-arrival notice from the carrier to the terminal before Gate-In COPARN or ANSI.301
• Load list from the carrier to the terminal COPRAR
• Gate-in confirmation from terminal to carrier CODECO or  ANSI.322
• VGM exchanged between Terminal and Carrier VERMAS message
• Load confirmation from terminal to carrier COARRI  or  ANSI.322
• Stowage plan from the terminal to the Hapag-Lloyd stowage planner and to the vessel BAPLIE as only possible version

Consider the following links and PDF files on www.worldshipping.org:

• SOLAS CHAPTER VI Regulation 2 Paragraph 4-6 (PDF file)
• Maritime Safety Committee Guidelines on Verifying Weight June 2014 (PDF file on worldshipping.org)
• Country-specific requirements – a list of countries and authorities are available on the "Country Implementation" page as published by World Shipping Council.

VGM: Terminal EDI communication (EDIFACT messages)

VGM: Terminal EDI communication (ANSI messages)