Within less than six months, new SOLAS container weighing rules will come into force and there is still a lack of information and harmonization at national level regarding their implementation. FEPORT calls on national authorities to develop guidelines that protect the efficiency of the logistics chain and do not create competitive distortions between Member States.

“From 01 July 2016, all containers to be loaded on a vessel will need to be accompanied by a Verified Gross Mass (VGM). As of now, industry actors have released guidelines on the implementation of SOLAS requirement, but guidance from national authorities is still absent in many cases” commented Mr. Jasper Nagtegaal, Chairman of the Customs and Logistics Committee.

“A lack of national guidelines will ultimately lead to confusion in implementation and will have an adverse impact on operations and lead to possible competitive distortion” concluded Mr. Jasper Nagtegaal.

FEPORT strongly encourages Member States, if not already done so, to draft guidelines which adopts a pragmatic approach and do not lead to competition distortion between Member States.

FEPORT and its members are ready to cooperate with Member States and with the other actors in the logistics chain to elaborate national guidelines which are commonly accepted and implementable.
Source: FEPORT