Authorities urged to take a practical approach
The Maritime Safety
Committee (MSC)
of the International
Maritime Organisation (IMO)
has indicated that in the
first three months after July
1 – when the Safety of Life
at Sea (Solas) verified gross
mass (VGM) regulation
becomes effective – there
should be some “breathing
space” provided to allow
shippers to effectively deal
with potential issues that
may arise.
With less than six weeks
to go before the July 1
deadline, the MSC sent
out an advice circular
to administrations, port
state control authorities,
companies, port terminals
and masters commenting
that “concerns were
noted with regards to
the application of the
requirements for a container
that was loaded before July
1 and then transhipped”.
The committee, meeting
for its 96th session earlier
this month, also noted
delegations’ comments
that leeway needed to be
provided for any problems
resulting from software
updates – required for the
electronic collection and
transmission of verified gross
mass data – to be rectified
without causing delays to
containers being loaded.
The MSC Circular noted
that in this context, while
there should be no delay
in the implementation of
the Solas requirements, it
would be “beneficial” if
administrations and port
state control authorities
could take a “practical and
pragmatic approach” when
enforcing them, for a period
of three months immediately
following July 1.
According to an MSC
spokesperson, this would
help ensure that containers
that are loaded before
July 1 – but transhipped
on or after July 1 – reach
their final port of discharge
without a verified gross
mass. It would furthermore
provide flexibility for
three months immediately
after July 1, to all the
stakeholders in containerised
transport to refine
procedures (eg, updated
software) for documenting,
communicating and sharing
electronic VGM data.
Leeway also necessary
for problems resulting from
software updates.
Source: IMO
