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Keeping Pace with Container Weight Requirements for Ocean Freight

With the revised Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) container weight verification requirements, containers and their contents must be weighed prior to loading the vessel. The regulation was prompted by improperly declared gross container masses which have led to stack collapses, vessel instability, injury to dock and vessel workers, damage to cargo, stress to ships and port machinery, insurance claims, added costs and substantial environmental impact.

In addition to the physical collection of a stuffed container weight, data must be transferred between parties. For example, using the information obtained by one of the two weight determination methods in effect for many countries, the data must be communicated to the carrier and must be signed. Although much of the information is transmitted via Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), the data may be shared at different times, include several formats and involve multiple protocols and standards between shippers, carriers, terminals and vessel operators.

The Descartes Verified Gross Mass™ (Descartes VGM™) solution offers connectivity via the Descartes Global Logistics Network™ (Descartes GLN). Our advanced solution connects to ocean carriers and enables customers to re-use the existing connectivity to send bookings and shipping instructions, receive status messages in return and more. For communicating VGM data to carriers, the Descartes VGM solution leverages an EDI message format called VERMAS.

The Descartes VGM solution offers an advantage by providing a single source to centralize processes from VGM, shipping instructions, bookings and more, and by providing a complete book-to-bill process.

Descartes’ Book-to-Bill Advantage

Descartes offers a single connection to all ocean carriers and multiple Non-vessel Operating Common Carriers (NVOCCs), including inter-connectivity with other platforms, such as INTTRA. The solution uses the same Standard Message Format (SMF) as other platforms, which is then converted into the VERMAS message supported by the carrier. Descartes processes response messages and translates the information into the required SMF. Additional mapping capabilities can be provided to meet the unique needs of each business.

Descartes also integrates the VGM electronic submission in its freight forwarding and transport management enterprise applications, allowing users to enter the required information and re-use data from existing fields.

Features

Potential Benefits