Weighing is being made mandatory before loading export cargo containers. This rule is already in place internationally to protect the balance of container vessels and to prevent unforseen accidents. The Chittagong port has now taken initiative to make this method compulsory due to violation of rules. The port authority has instructed the Shipping Agents Association to abide by the rules in a letter dated 3 October.
As a rule, an exporter has to determine the weight of his goods-carrying container before loading the goods on the ship. They do this in two ways. The first is to load all the products in the container and weigh the whole container including the products.
The second is to weigh the container, the products, and the packing material separately, then add it together. This work has to be done by a third-party weighing agency. Verified Gross Mass (VGM) Compliance Certificate is issued after weight determination. They will provide it to freight forwarders and shipping agents.
The shipping agent submits the VGM report to the ship’s captain and to the terminal operator engaged in container shipping. The loading and balancing of the container on the ship are maintained according to the report. Recently, despite the introduction of these rules, many exporters are not submitting this VGM in some cases.
In November 2014, the International Maritime Organization’s (IMO) ‘Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea’ (SOLAS) discussed the VGM system in container shipping internationally. It has been implemented worldwide since 1 July 2016. Bangladesh, as a signatory to the SOLAS Convention, is bound to abide by that rule.
