Container glossary
What is VGM?
VGM (Verified Gross Mass) is the weight of a packed container — cargo, packing and the box itself — established by weighing and declared by the shipper before the container is loaded on a ship. It has been a requirement of the SOLAS convention since 1 July 2016, and a container without one is not loaded.
What a VGM adds up to
| Container | Max gross | Tare | Cargo, packing and dunnage, at most |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20 ft container | 30,480 kg 67,197 lb | 2,230 kg 4,916 lb | 28,250 kg 62,281 lb |
| 40 ft container | 30,480 kg 67,197 lb | 3,740 kg 8,245 lb | 26,740 kg 58,952 lb |
| 40 ft high cube container | 32,500 kg 71,650 lb | 3,900 kg 8,598 lb | 28,600 kg 63,052 lb |
The two permitted methods of verifying the mass
SOLAS allows two routes and no others. Method 1: weigh the whole packed and sealed container on calibrated, certified equipment — in practice a weighbridge, with the truck and chassis subtracted. Method 2: weigh every package and item, add the pallets, dunnage and securing material, then add the container’s tare. The second method must follow a procedure approved by the authority of the country where the container is packed.
Either way, estimating is not permitted: something has to be weighed. The declaration names the shipper and is signed by a person the shipper has authorised. It goes to the shipping line and, through it, to the terminal, by a cut-off the line sets for each sailing. The table above shows what the total is made of and the highest figure each size can declare.
Who submits the VGM, and on which form
The duty sits with the shipper named on the bill of lading. A forwarder or a packing warehouse can do the weighing and the filing, but the legal responsibility does not move with the task. The figure is entered in the carrier’s web portal, in the shipping instructions, or sent as an EDI message, and it then appears in the booking record.
For Method 2 you need the tare of the actual box: it is on the right-hand door and on the plate — see tare weight. Rules on accepted weighing equipment, tolerances and penalties are national, so check them with the carrier or the authority of the country of loading.
Declaring the cargo weight as the VGM
The classic error is sending the gross weight of the goods — the figure on the packing list and the bill of lading — as the VGM. That number leaves out the container. A VGM that is two to four tonnes light, exactly one tare, is the sign of it. The same thing happens in Method 2 when pallets and dunnage are forgotten, or when a tare from a website is used in place of the one on the door.
The cost is not abstract. A box with no VGM, or one over its max gross, stays on the quay: it misses the sailing, storage accrues, and it has to be re-weighed or re-packed before the next one. The weight guide covers what follows an overweight finding.
Frequently asked questions
Who is responsible for the VGM?
The shipper named on the bill of lading. Weighing and filing can be delegated to a forwarder or a terminal service, but under SOLAS the obligation stays with the shipper.
Does the VGM include the weight of the container?
Yes — VGM is the cargo, its packing and securing materials plus the container’s tare. For a 20 ft box that tare is about 2,230 kg (4,916 lb); use the figure on the door of the actual unit.
Since when is VGM mandatory?
Since 1 July 2016, when the amendment to SOLAS Chapter VI took effect. It applies to every packed container loaded on a ship for an international voyage.