Container Weighing: A guide to the 2016 IMO Shipping Ruling

A Marsden Weighing Group White Paper

www.marsden-weighing.co.uk

In 2014, the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) announced that, from 1st July 2016, every container loaded onto a ship for export must have a verified weight.

If any container is loaded onto a ship and does not have a proof of weight, it will be in violation of the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS).

Although some may argue that this ruling has been a long time coming - in fact, many lobbied for the ruling to be put in place for years - there is still confusion for some about who will be responsible for the weighing of containers, and where the weighing will, or should, take place.

With help from a number of experts in the industry, we’ve put together this guide to the 2016 IMO Shipping Ruling - including what it entails, what means for you, how you can meet the requirements.

What is the IMO ruling exactly?

Over-loaded containers have been a long standing problem: misdeclared container weights have put lives and the environment at risk for years, and it wasn’t until the dramatic break up of the MSC Napoli off the southern coast of the UK in 2007 and the subsequent investigation that tighter control of container weights became a priority.

The January 2007 incident, which took place during high winds and huge waves, resulted in a sizeable crack in one side of MSC Napoli’s hull, a flooded engine room, and an oil spillage that spread 8km.

103 containers fell into the sea, and a large amount of local wildlife was severely affected by the pollution to the sea - 1,684 tonnes of the 41,773 tonnes of cargo on board was products classified as dangerous by the International Maritime Organization.

The subsequent investigation found that, of the 660 containers stowed on deck, 137 were more than three tonnes over their declared weight - 20% of the ship’s load. The largest difference was 20 tonnes.

Further incidents due to overweight and misdeclared containers took place in February 2007, when a container stack collapsed on the MV Limari in Damietta (due to stacked container rows being up to 407% overweight), and June 2011 when the container ship Deneb sank in Algeciras (due to 16 of the 168 containers on board being as much as 6.7 times the declared weight).

The incidents highlighted a growing issue, and the new legislation was announced in 2014.

The new ruling states that a container cannot be loaded onto a ship without a verified gross weight reading. This ‘proof of weight’ must take into account the weight of the container itself, and the weight of the goods if the container is laden.

Container Weighing: A Guide To The 2016 IMO Shipping Rule

The container weighing rules apply to all shipping throughout the world.

“This ruling makes sense,” says Joe Nalty, of JN Export, a freight forwarder, “if there’s a risk of life at sea, as a result of misdeclared weights.”

“Currently, the UK is the most advanced country from an implementation point of view,” says Rachael White, CEO Secretariat of The International Cargo Handling Coordination Association (ICHCA). The process for making the legislation work in practice that evolves in the UK will likely be used as a template for other countries around the world.

Summary

• The IMO container weight legislation will come into force on 1st July, 2016• The ship’s master will not be allowed to load a container onto a ship without a verified proof of weight

Who is responsible for the weighing?

The most widespread confusion surrounding the new ruling seems to be about who is responsible for the weighing of the container, and producing the proof.

The responsibility for the weight of the container will ultimately fall on the shipper (and the weights of containers used by the vessel operator in stowage planning); The weighing can be done by any or-ganisation as long as they are an accredited weigher.

“The nature of the ruling means the forwarder may end up bearing the brunt, depending on who is declared as the shipper on the Bill of Lading,” says Rachael White. “To ease this, the Global Shippers’ Forum has put together an accredited shipping programme.”

The Overseas Group (OG) will be compiling a list of accredited weighers, so that shippers and forwarders have a directory to fall back should they not be an accredited weigher themselves.

The proof of weight - which will need to be a print-out from when the containers was weighed, showing full weight, date, time and where the container was weighed - will need to be presented at the port along with the Bill of Ladings.

Container Weighing: A Guide To The 2016 IMO Shipping Rule

So what happens if a container arrives at port without the right weight documentation? According to the Guidelines for Improving Safety and Implementing the SOLAS Container Weight Verification Requirements, published recently by the World Shipping Council, “any costs incurred by the terminal or vessel operator for obtaining a verified gross weight if a shipper has failed to provide one in a timely manner and any recovery of those costs are also commercial matters for the parties to determine.”

Summary

• The shipper is responsible for the total weight of the container• Weighing must be carried out by an accredited weigher• You can submit an application to become an accredited weigher to container.weight@mcga.gov.uk. A three-year accreditation will cost a few hundred pounds.

How containers can be weighed

When the legislation comes into force in July, there will be two approved ways of weighing:

a. Weighing the container with the contents loadedb. Weighing the goods before they are loaded onto the container - and then adding their total weight to the tare weight of the container

Container Weighing: A Guide To The 2016 IMO Shipping Rule

Don Armour, Manager of International Affairs for the Freight Transport Association (FTA), adds: “All shippers exporting goods from the UK in containers by sea need to become accredited shippers unless they are contracting with freight agents, forwarders or consolidators, to take responsibility for weighing on their behalf. We expect the big major shippers to do weighing in house using SAP/ERP auditable systems; others can rely on third parties using properly certified/calibrated weighing equipment.”

Any organisation can become an accredited weigher. Companies, including shippers and freight forwarders, can apply to become verified weighers via the the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) in Southampton. The process for applying for accreditation is detailed in the box on the right.

“We expect there will be a fee for initial company audit of circa £200-£300 plus an admin fee for maintenance of the database, which will cover three years’ accreditation,” says Don.

Becoming an accredited container weigher

MCA has provided the following information to help those wanting to apply for a container weighing accreditation.

• Visit www.gov.uk • Type ‘MGN 534’ into the search box at the top of the page • Click on the top search result, which should be ‘Verification of the gross mass of packed containers by sea’ • Scroll down to ‘2. Sample Annex 2 application form/checklist.’ Here, you will find the information you will need to submit in order for your application to be processed • Submit the information to container. weight@mcga.gov.uk, together with the supporting documents given in section 2

Container Weighing: A Guide To The 2016 IMO Shipping Rule

Axle Weighing (Marsden AP-200)

A portable axle weigher allows the lorry to drive over two pads, that will transmit the data to a remote indicator and printer.

Weight can be taken either with the lorry and container stationary, or with the lorry moving. The Marsden AP-200 provides weight per axle, total weight, date and time - plus information like registration number and driver name.

You will need to tare off the weight of the lorry to obtain the accurate container weight reading.

Crane Weighing (Marsden OCS-Z)

Alternatively, the container can be weighed prior to placing on the lorry - via a crane scale. A crane scale such as the OCS-Z provides a highly accurate (to 5kg) reading which will display on the crane itself - however a remote control is also included for safer use.

a. The weight reading will need to be taken before, or on the way to the port. Provision for container - or truck - weighing will need to be at the shipper’s depot, the exporter’s warehouse, or at a third party location by someone accredited.b. Weighing the goods before the container is loaded will mean weighing equipment will need to be used at the point of origin, and proof of the goods’ weight printed out. Again, the weighing will need to be carried out by an accredited weigher.

There are no immediate plans to install weighbridges at ports - however, it’s likely they will become commonplace in the long-term. “We expect most port operators to install a weighbridge in order to provide a service to the minority of shippers/hauliers delivering in containers that have not managed to obtain weight certificates beforehand,” says Don of the FTA.

If you are a shipper, or a third party, and intend on carrying out the weighing yourself, there are a number of solutions.

Container Weighing: A Guide To The 2016 IMO Shipping Rule

Summary

• The container can either be weighed with the goods loaded, or the individual goods weighed and the total weight added to the tare weight of the container• Axle weighing pads provide a portable, flexible solution to weighing containers and printing out the results• Weighbridges will likely be provided at ports - however not in the short term

Further information

As we get closer to 1st July 2016, it’s likely that further help and information for shippers will become available. For now, to be fully prepared for the new legislation, you may want to keep up to date with news and developments from these sources:

Overseas Group www.osg.comFreight Transport Association www.fta.co.ukInternational Cargo Handling Coordination Association www.ichca.comWorld Shipping Council www.worldshipping.orgBritish International Freight Association www.bifa.orgMaritime & Coastguard Agency www.gov.uk/government/organisations/maritime-and-coast-guard-agency

Platform scales

If the goods is to be weighed prior to loading into the container, a platform scale may suffice.

These come in a variety of sizes, capacities and graduations - however a trade approved (i.e more accurate and reliable) may be a safer solution.

Obtaining the total weight of the container this way may mean less expense on equipment for weighing - but it could result in a more time consuming process.

Thank you to…

Joe Nalty, JN Export

Andy Johnson, SantaFeRelo

Rachael White, International Cargo Handling Coordination Association

Don Armour, Freight Transport Association

Tel: 01709 364296 / 0800 169 2775 Fax: 01709 364293 E-mail: sales@marsdengroup.co.uk

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Container Weighing: A Guide To The 2016 IMO Shipping Rule