BOTH Felixstowe, the biggest container port in the UK, 70 miles north east of London, and its arch rival London Gateway just east of the British metropolis, now offer container weigh-in services to help shippers comply with the UN mandatory weight verification that kicks in July 1.
DP World's Port of Southampton on the south coast of England is also gearing up to provide the same service.
Hong Kong's Hutchison owns the Port of Felixstowe and has confirmed that it will offer a container weighing service after Dubai's DP World did the same. The Port of Charleston, South Carolina, is only North American port to do the same thus far.
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has made clear its concerns about the lack of information from the carriers and ports about how they intend implement the new UN rule contained as an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
BIFA warns its members to consider this way of establishing verified gross mass of a container in light of its legal contractual impact.
London Gateway's press announcement noted that "after extensive consultations with the Maritime Coastguard Agency, both DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton will implement scalable solutions to weigh containers shortly after arrival in the port and provide the VGM."
"The weights determined in this way will be used for the stowage on the containerships and ensures that users of DP World container terminals in the UK do not need to provide the VGM for their export containers but will be able to use the weight provided by DP World for this purpose."
"It will still be possible for shippers to provide a certified VGM through electronic messaging prior to arrival at the port if preferred."
DP World's Port of Southampton on the south coast of England is also gearing up to provide the same service.
Hong Kong's Hutchison owns the Port of Felixstowe and has confirmed that it will offer a container weighing service after Dubai's DP World did the same. The Port of Charleston, South Carolina, is only North American port to do the same thus far.
The British International Freight Association (BIFA) has made clear its concerns about the lack of information from the carriers and ports about how they intend implement the new UN rule contained as an amendment to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS).
BIFA warns its members to consider this way of establishing verified gross mass of a container in light of its legal contractual impact.
London Gateway's press announcement noted that "after extensive consultations with the Maritime Coastguard Agency, both DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton will implement scalable solutions to weigh containers shortly after arrival in the port and provide the VGM."
"The weights determined in this way will be used for the stowage on the containerships and ensures that users of DP World container terminals in the UK do not need to provide the VGM for their export containers but will be able to use the weight provided by DP World for this purpose."
"It will still be possible for shippers to provide a certified VGM through electronic messaging prior to arrival at the port if preferred."