Amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) rules as form July 1st, 2016

Dear clients and partners of Flmaingo Shipping,
The International Maritime Organization had defined a deadline for July 1st, 2016, for the implementation of the amendments to the Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) rules, requiring as from that date that Shippers provide a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of the containers before being loaded on board of the ships.
This being part of an International rule, to which Flamingo Shipping fully adheres, it will be forbidden for all Shipping Lines to load on board of ships any container for which the Shipper has not presented the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) documentation. It is important to note that the responsibility for providing the VGM lies at the Shipper’s side, who has to obtain the relevant documentation and present it

to the Shipping Line.
The rule contemplates two different methodologies that could be used by the Shipper in order to obtain the VGM, either weighing the container after sealing at a certified weighing facility; or by adding the weight of each package stuffed into the container, plus the weight of the packing and lashing material and plus the tare weight of the container, having in this case received a certification and approval from a relevant national regulatory body.

Please be aware that as from July 1st, 2016, all Shipping Lines including Flamingo Shipping, will not be able to load your containerized cargo if this procedure has not been followed.
For more information please contact our local office and visit :
www.worldshipping