Effective	24OCT2016
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

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