July 01, 2016, If you are a shipper get ready!
Amendments to Rule 2 of Chapter VI of SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) adopted by the IMO will entail the obligation for the shipper to check the gross weight of the container, corresponding to the sum of the container's tare weight and the weight of the cargo in it.
The verified gross weight of a container can only be determined by one of the following methods:
Method 1 - Weighing of consolidated and sealed container by a calibrated and certified equipment;
Method 2 - Weighing all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other securing material to be packed in the container and adding the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses, using a certified method approved by the competent authority of the State in which packing of the container was completed
In Portugal the legislation that will implement these changes is still in production. So there is still no consistent information that can help exporters and shippers in decision process on measures to be taken.
