RULE: 23.1 - PROVISION OF VERIFIED GROSS MASS BY SHIPPERS Eff: 24OCT2016
Effective | 24OCT2016 |
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Filed | 24OCT2016 |
Filing Codes | CR |
PROVISION OF VERIFIED GROSS MASS BY SHIPPERS FOR CARGOES LOADED AT U.S. PORTS A U.S. export shipper tendering goods for transport by carrier shall provide a Verified Gross Mass (VGM), as defined in and required by the Convention on the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), Regulation VI/2. Goods tendered without a VGM shall not be loaded on vessels. VGM must be provided by or on behalf of shipper using one of the following methods: (a) Weighing the packed container using calibrated and certified equipment and providing the gross mass to carrier along with the signature of a person duly authorized by shipper using EDI or other means of tranmission specified by carrier; (b) Weighing all packages and cargo items, including pallets, dunnage and securing materials packed in the container, adding the tare mass of the container as provided by the carrier, and providing the total gross mass to the carrier along with the signature of a person duly authorized by shipper using EDI or other means of transmission specified by carrier; (c) At U.S. port marine terminal facilities that acknowledge having scales and processes that meet the U.S. Coast Guard's equivalency determination for U.S. terminals providing VGM (pursuant to Coast Guard MSIB 009/16) and that agree to provide such weights to carrier, shipper shall hereby be deemed to have appointed the terminal to weigh the container and provide the gross mass to carrier as a VGM equivalent on shipper's behalf. Shippers availing themselves of this method are not required to provide a signature verification to carrier, but hereby acknowledge that use of this method is verification of the gross mass. (d) Pursuant to the U.S. Coast Guard's equivalency determination, shipper shall satisfy its VGM obligation for containers arriving at marine terminals via on-dock rail by providing actual gross cargo weights (weight of the cargo, packaging materials, pallets, and dunnage) as certified by shipper or its agent in accordance with the Intermodal Safe Container Transportation Act. For cargo that does not require a certified actual gross cargo weight under the ISCTA (e.g., for actual cargo weights less than 29,000 pounds), shippers wishing to avail themselves of this method must nevertheless submit a certified actul gross cargo weight complying with the requirements of ISCTA for determining and reporting gross cargo weights. Shipper shall hereby be deemed to have appointed the carrier to arrange for the tare weight of the container to be added to the actual gross cargo weight provided by shipper in order to obtain a VGM on shipper's behalf. (e) Notwithstanding the procedures set out in paragraphs (c) or (d) herein, by advance arrangement with carrier, shipper may still arrange to submit its VGM in accordance with paragraphs (a) or (b) above for cargo moving through U.S. port terminals. NOTE: This rule applies ONLY to those carries listed below. Alianca Navegacao Logistica Ltda. American President Lines, Ltd. Atlantic Container Line CMA CGM S.A. COSCO Container Lines Company Limited Evergreen Line Joint Service Agreement FMC No. 011982 Hamburg-Sudamerikanische Dampfschifffahrtsgellschaft KG Hapag-Lloyd AG Hapag-Lloyd USA LLC Hyundai Merchant Marine Co., Ltd. Nippon Yusen Kaisha Line Orient Oversea Container Line Limited United Arab Shipping Co (SAG) Wan Hai Lines, Ltd. Yang Ming Marine Transport Corp. Zim Integrated Shipping Services