New SOLAS/VGM requirements means more challenges for scrap exporters

By Paul Ploumis (ScrapMonster Author)

June 22, 2016 02:25:40 PM

As many exporters know, beginning July 1st, all ocean container shipments will be required to submit a verified gross mass (VGM) for each container, before it’s loaded on a vessel, under the new Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention from the International Maritime Organization (IMO).  VGM is defined as the total weight of the container including the net weight of the cargo and the tare weight of the container itself. While there is still confusion regarding acceptable forms of submission, it is clear that failure to comply, or submit in a timely manner, can result in containers not being loaded onto a vessel or being rejected from  entering the port entirely.

cieTrade has worked to help their recycling and export clients, throughout the supply chain, to meet this challenge and avoid costly in-gate charges or rejections with new software features and integration methods to make compliance as easy and efficient as possible. In general, VGM certificates can be submitted by shippers using one of several methods: through the carrier’s website portal, via email message, electronically using EDI messaging, or through middleware platforms such as CargoSmart or INTTRA. cieTrade offers seamless support for several of these.

For clients already using INTTRA, or that are interested in subscribing to INTTRA’s service, their new “eVGM” message can be sent to a wide range of participating carriers, directly from cieTrade, where both initial submissions and acknowledgements can be tracked. VGM’s can also be sent from cieTrade using the industry standard VERMAS EDI document format, created specifically for VGM messages. cieTrade has also introduced their own compliant Email-VGM spreadsheet document that can be easily generated, with a single click, for any container in the software.

For recycling plants, scrap yards, and even brokers that need to supply container tare weights to export customers, cieTrade has introduced several improvements to make the process as smooth as possible. Both the VGM weight and the container/equipment tare weight fields can now be recorded and have been added to critical documents such as the Bill of Lading and the Booking-Export Packing List. For recycling plants that already use the ciePhoto mobile app for container photos, the container tare weight can be also captured at the point of loading and automatically applied to its corresponding container shipment within the system, saving time and eliminating double-entry.

“As a leading provider of software for commodity exporters and within the recycling industry, our clients look to us for knowledge and best practices to help them meet challenges such as this” says Udomchai Motayasiri, Sr. Vice President at cieTrade Systems. “Our VGM support implementation provides a multifaceted response to this new requirement to help minimize its impact on our clients.”

For more information on cieTrade, their software solutions or their response to the new SOLAS/VGM shipping requirement, contact inquire@cietrade.com or call (203) 323-0074.