Proposal to IMO for mandatory weighting of containers
A number of international maritime associations submitted a proposal to the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) aiming for a legal requirement to be introduced, forcing port terminal operators and ships to verify container weight in order to export a loaded container.
The proposal has been submitted by Denmark, the Netherlands, the United States, BIMCO, the International Association of Ports and Harbours (IAPH), the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF), and the World Shipping Council (WSC). It is also supported by the international federation of ship agents and brokers (FONASBA).
On the other hand, the European Shippers’ Council (ESC) has strongly reacted against the call for mandatory weighing. According to the shippers’ organisation, extra regulation of container weights will not solve the safety issues in container transport. They consider mandatory weighting to be superfluous and hardly feasible.
The International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) currently requires shippers to provide an accurate container weight declaration, but this requirement is often not met, or not enforced by SOLAS parties. Moreover, there is no requirement to actually weigh a loaded container. The IMO’s Subcommittee on Dangerous Goods, Solid Cargoes and Containers will consider the proposal at its next meeting in September.
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