News Content

BIFA warns members use VGM "grace" period wisely or be penalised

THE British International Freight Association (BIFA) is urging its members and the freight forwarding community to get ready to comply with the new rules making the reporting of a container's verified gross mass (VGM) mandatory prior to loading on board a vessel.

This call comes in response to a circular issued by the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) on the VGM, urging a policy of "practical and pragmatic" enforcement by authorities over the first three months of implementing the new rules on July 1, reported American Journal of Transportation.

BIFA director general Robert Keen, said that while concerns have been raised regarding the application of the container weighing requirements, which has led to an IMO committee issuing a statement suggesting some leniency be applied after July 1, international trade should not allow this grace period to shape its plans in regards to complying with the implementation of the new rules.

Said Mr Keen: "BIFA continues to urge its members to talk to their customers and the shipping lines and ports they use to make sure that the containers they ship after July 1 are compliant with the new rules."

He said the three months grace period "should help ensure that containers that are loaded before that date, but transshipped on or after that date, reach their final port of discharge without a verified gross mass.

"It also provides some flexibility, helping all the stakeholders in containerised transport to refine procedures for documenting, communicating and sharing electronic verified gross mass data and going some way to allaying industry fears that the impending rules might trigger big delays at ports.

"The IMO's intent would appear to be that any party which has done its utmost to comply, may expect to be treated with understanding. Those, who have done little or nothing, can expect to be penalised."