VGM submission helper
Build a SOLAS-compliant VGM declaration. Method 1 (weighbridge total) or Method 2 (cargo + tare sum). The PDF is ready to sign and forward to the carrier or freight forwarder. VGM is a legal obligation on the shipper under SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2.
SOLAS VGM, the rule and the practice
SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2 requires the shipper to provide a verified gross mass for every export container before vessel loading. The rule came into effect 1 July 2016 after the El Faro and MOL Comfort losses partly attributed to misdeclared container weight. No VGM, no load. The figure must be either Method 1 (weighbridge total) or Method 2 (cargo + tare sum from documented sources). Either method requires shipper sign-off; both expose the shipper to civil liability if the figure is materially wrong.
Method 1 is the cleanest approach for dense cargo: drive the stuffed sealed container onto a calibrated weighbridge and read the total. The number is unimpeachable. The cost is the weighbridge fee (typically 30 to 80 USD per container) plus the time. Some terminals require Method 1 for cargo above a tonnage threshold; others accept Method 2 for any cargo. Calibrated weighbridge certificates are required by some flag states (UK MCA, Australia AMSA).
Method 2 sums declared cargo weight (from the packing list, CoA, and supplier delivery note) plus the data-plate tare from the container. Tare must come from the data plate, not the nominal value; the data-plate figure is what the actual container booked for your shipment weighed empty when it left the manufacturer, and includes any repair-and-replate adjustments. The nominal in the equipment-spec table is generic and may differ by 50 to 200 kg. Carrier cross-checks at terminal weigh; a divergence outside tolerance gets the cargo offloaded and the shipper picks up the bill.
Tolerance is typically plus or minus 5 percent of the declared VGM, tighter on heavier cargo (carrier rules vary). Disciplined Method 2 with the data-plate tare and a fully documented cargo weight from the supplier almost always lands within 1 to 2 percent. Method 2 with rough estimates ("about 25 tonnes") routinely lands 5 percent off and triggers the offload event.
Worked example. The data-plate tare miss
The booking. A 20GP of citric acid; cargo declared at 25,000 kg net + 400 kg packaging = 25,400 kg cargo. Shipper uses Method 2: cargo 25,400 + tare 2,200 (from the equipment-spec table for 20GP) = VGM 27,600 kg. Sent to forwarder; forwarder files with carrier. Looks fine on paper.
The failure. Terminal weighs the stuffed container at 27,830 kg, a 230 kg over-declaration (less than 1%). Within tolerance, but the data-plate tare on the actual container booked turns out to be 2,440 kg, not 2,200. If the cargo had been under-declared, the carrier offload threshold would have triggered. The shipper got lucky; the cargo loaded. But the next shipment uses the same generic 2,200 tare and the cargo weighs in 28,100 kg actual, the variance pushes past 5 percent, and the carrier offloads. Cost: 600 USD offload + 4 days delay + lost slot.
The fix. On every subsequent VGM, the shipper logistics manager records the data-plate tare from the actual container photo when the container arrives at the factory. Tare values now run 2,300 kg (one container) and 2,440 kg (another); cargo weight is documented from the CoA and packing list. VGM lands within 50 kg of the terminal weigh. No offloads. The discipline costs 30 seconds per container. Avoidance of one offload pays for it 100 times over.
Frequently asked
What is the SOLAS VGM rule?
Under SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2 (effective 1 July 2016), the shipper must provide a verified gross mass (VGM) for every container before it can be loaded onto a vessel. No VGM, no load. The rule is global and enforced through the carrier; the shipper is the responsible party even if the forwarder physically files the VGM.
What are Method 1 and Method 2?
Method 1: weigh the entire stuffed and sealed container on a calibrated scale. Most accurate; requires a weighbridge. Method 2: sum the weights of cargo + dunnage + tare. Tare comes from the data plate on the container; cargo weight from the packing list and CoA. Both methods are SOLAS-compliant; some flag states (e.g. UK MCA) require a calibration certificate for Method 2.
Who calculates the VGM?
The shipper, as a legal obligation. The freight forwarder usually files the VGM declaration with the carrier on the shipper behalf, but the shipper is signing off on the figure. False VGM is a SOLAS offence with civil and (in some jurisdictions) criminal penalties.
What tolerance does the carrier accept on VGM versus weighed weight?
Typically plus or minus 5 percent, sometimes tighter (3 percent) on heavy cargo. If the carrier weighs the container at terminal and finds a difference outside tolerance, the cargo is offloaded and the shipper bears the cost. The cleaner the Method 2 build, the smaller the divergence at terminal weighing.
When must VGM be submitted?
Carrier cut-off is typically 24 to 48 hours before vessel sailing. Late VGM either delays the BL or rolls the slot. Some carriers offer "VGM at gate" service for an extra fee (truck pulls onto a weighbridge at the terminal entrance, VGM auto-files); useful when Method 2 weights are uncertain.
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