Kenya not ready to comply with UN's rule for container weights by July 1
THE East African Shippers Council (EASC) said members were not ready to comply with the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) demand for verified gross mass (VGM) weights to be provided for each container before loading.
EASC chief executive Gilbert Langat said although the global rule was agreed upon three years ago, Kenya might be forced to negotiate for a time extension, reported Nairobi's East African Standard.
Mr Langat said it was not yet clear what percentage of the cost would be factored as the weighing charge, and exactly where the exercise would take place - the port of Mombasa or at container depots.
"There is need to identify third parties with well calibrated weighing equipment to avoid any hitches. It is also important for the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), as the industry regulator, to determine the percentage cost of weighing the containers," he said.
KMA has said it would be mandatory for Kenya to determine the weight of packed shipping containers before they are loaded onto ships.
THE East African Shippers Council (EASC) said members were not ready to comply with the UN's International Maritime Organisation (IMO) demand for verified gross mass (VGM) weights to be provided for each container before loading.
EASC chief executive Gilbert Langat said although the global rule was agreed upon three years ago, Kenya might be forced to negotiate for a time extension, reported Nairobi's East African Standard.
Mr Langat said it was not yet clear what percentage of the cost would be factored as the weighing charge, and exactly where the exercise would take place - the port of Mombasa or at container depots.
"There is need to identify third parties with well calibrated weighing equipment to avoid any hitches. It is also important for the Kenya Maritime Authority (KMA), as the industry regulator, to determine the percentage cost of weighing the containers," he said.
KMA has said it would be mandatory for Kenya to determine the weight of packed shipping containers before they are loaded onto ships.