Imagine a massive cargo vessel cutting through ocean waves, each container carrying the promise of global commerce. Yet inaccurate weight information for these containers could jeopardize the ship's safe navigation, crew safety, and port operations. To address this critical safety concern, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) implemented the SOLAS (International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea) VGM (Verified Gross Mass) regulations. The Ocean Carrier Equipment Management Association (OCEMA) is now leading collaborative efforts to develop practical solutions for U.S. exporters, carriers, and marine terminals as they transition to this new compliance era.
SOLAS VGM: The Foundation of Maritime Safety
The SOLAS VGM regulations, effective since July 1, 2016, require verified container weights before loading. This initiative emerged from the shipping industry's longstanding commitment to safety, aiming to prevent vessel instability, cargo damage, and accidents caused by weight misdeclarations.
OCEMA, representing 19 ocean carriers, recognizes VGM's supply chain implications. The association focuses on developing compliance tools to prevent operational disruptions, demonstrating how industry groups can facilitate standards implementation and self-regulation.
OCEMA's Best Practices: Balancing Flexibility and Functionality
A specialized OCEMA committee of nine technical experts developed "best practices" after consulting carriers, terminals, and shippers. Released March 21, these guidelines offer U.S. exporters practical VGM processes that maintain compliance while minimizing operational impact.
With OCEMA members processing millions of annual VGM declarations, these practices provide an adaptable framework for the July 1 implementation. The system accommodates various submission methods—from PCs to smartphones—while offering support for exceptional cases.
Industry Concerns and the Call for Standardization
Despite OCEMA's efforts, shipper associations express reservations. The U.S. export container trade's high-volume, fast-paced nature—where containers often meet deadlines at the last minute—demands data-driven processes and uniform compliance methods to prevent disruptions.
Shippers consistently advocate for standardized VGM procedures to ensure data accuracy and consistency, avoiding delays and added costs from incompatible processes. While OCEMA promotes its "common sense" approach, market validation remains pending.
The Data Challenge: Why Standardization Matters
With 12 million TEUs exported annually through numerous terminals and thousands of shippers, VGM implementation faces immense data accuracy and timeliness requirements. Like all modern economic processes, uniform compliance methods prove essential for preventing bottlenecks.
OCEMA's voluntary best practices offer multiple VGM submission methods but lack enforcement mechanisms. More binding solutions—through industry standards or government regulations—may eventually ensure VGM reliability.
Clarifying Misconceptions: Shippers and Container Weights
OCEMA clarifies that shippers needn't certify weights for containers they don't own. SOLAS offers two VGM reporting options: submitting the total container weight or adding verified cargo weight to the container's marked tare weight—a method proposed by shippers and adopted by IMO.
The association emphasizes that shippers may rely on carrier-provided tare weights without verifying their accuracy, consistent with IMO guidelines. This clarification helps alleviate shipper concerns about compliance responsibilities.
Technology's Role: Automating Compliance
Many carriers are automating VGM processes, with some OCEMA members providing databases of owned/leased container tare weights and developing online calculation tools. These innovations streamline declarations, reduce errors, and lower compliance costs.
The U.S. Coast Guard confirms VGM's mandatory status for loaded containers, with multiple compliance pathways available. OCEMA members are leveraging this flexibility to develop technological solutions that enhance efficiency.
The Urgency of Electronic Data Transmission
OCEMA warns that without electronic VGM submissions, data delays could disrupt shipments and schedules. In time-sensitive logistics, inefficient declaration processes risk increasing operational expenses.
The association urges immediate action before the SOLAS deadline, noting that many shippers find its practices easily adaptable. Standardized methods benefit all stakeholders by ensuring predictable, simple data transfers between service providers and clients.
Future Challenges: Multimodal Transportation
OCEMA's executive director identifies multimodal transport as a significant remaining challenge, citing the absence of a government agency coordinating inland supply chain paths. The association continues consulting stakeholders to develop flexible frameworks accommodating special cases across interconnected transport networks.
Conclusion: Collaboration for a Safer Supply Chain
SOLAS VGM implementation presents both challenges and opportunities for global shipping. OCEMA's collaborative approach demonstrates how industry associations can facilitate transitions to new compliance standards. Continued improvements in processes and technology will be essential for achieving safe, efficient supply chains.
This initiative highlights the importance of industry-wide cooperation in developing standards and best practices. As businesses adapt to evolving regulations, such collaborative efforts will remain crucial for building sustainable, high-performing global logistics networks.