IMO decides to tackle misdeclared container weight problem

Earlier, the World Shipping Council (WSC) and the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) jointly urged the IMO to establish an international legal requirement that all loaded containers be weighed at the marine port facility before loading aboard a vessel for export.

The MSC agreed to a proposal made by the Netherlands, Denmark and Australia to establish a new work group to address the issue of incorrectly declared containerized cargo shipments and to undertake other measures to improve the safety of container stowage and ship operations.

Verification of actual container weight before vessel loading and the availability of the actual container weights for proper and safe stowage planning will mark a long overdue and important improvement in industry safety. WSC and ICS are looking forward to assisting the IMO to institute a new set of requirements as soon as possible.