April 2, 2020
Verified Gross Mass (VGM) New Policy for China
Dear Customer,
The Ministry of Transport issued the “Decision on Amending the Rules of the People’s Republic of China on the Safety of Ships” by Order No. 6 of 2020, which will take effect on June 1, 2020.
The following conditions to the rule applies as follows:
- The shipper’s and carrier’s obligation in verifying the weight of the container intended for international transportation are clarified.The shipper is required to verify the weight of the container before the ship’s delivery and transportation. The carrier is not allowed to ship the container without the verification information or if the verified weight is more than the maximum of the total operating mass. The practical experience of more than three years is raised to the level of the Department’s regulations.
- The method of weight verification and the allowable error range are defined.According to the rules, the weight verification can be carried out through the overall weighing method and the cumulative calculation method. It draws the common practices of shipping countries and regions such as the European Union and Japan for reference. It is stipulated that the shipper’s verification weight and actual error shall not exceed 5% and the maximum error shall not exceed 1 ton. If it exceeds, a fine of CNY 1000 to CNY 30,000 will be imposed by the maritime administration.
- The legal responsibility for the container exceeding the maximum total operating mass and large errors.If the container exceeds the maximum total operating mass or if the verified weight differs greatly “with large error” from the actual weight, posing a threat to the safety of ships, terminal facilities and personnel, the rules set is corresponding to the legal liabilities for such illegal act and as explained to the maximum total operating quality.
(Source: http://xxgk.mot.gov.cn/jigou/fgs/202003/t20200325_3351654.html)
If you have further enquiry, please do not hesitate to contact our MCS and MWL Customer Service team.
End of Report.
Cordially,
MCS & MWL Marketing & Communications Division
