Monday, 8 December 2014 00:00
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United Nations’ International Maritime Organization (IMO) has decided to make it mandatory to weigh loaded containers before they are transported by sea, as confirmed by Danish Maritime Authority (DMA)
The move is expected to enhance safety and prevent pollution of the marine environment.
The correct weight – the so-called verified weight – can be determined in two ways: either by weighing the loaded container at an approved weighing station or by ensuring that the individual items in the container are weighed and added to the container’s net weight.
According to DMA, Denmark has been one of the initiators of the new stricter requirements on the weighing of containers and has persistently maintained that mandatory regulations should be introduced for reasons of safety.
“Since the freight rate depends on the weight, it has not been easy to get the provisions in place. But now there is a general understanding that incorrect data may result in container stacks collapsing, containers falling over board and ship accidents as a consequence of overloaded ships. The fact that container ships are becoming larger and larger has contributed to an improved understanding of the problems,” DMA said.
The new international regulations take effect on 1 June 2016.
