Verified Gross Mass (VGM): Who Is Responsible and What Happens If It Is Wrong
Short answer
Verified Gross Mass is the verified weight of a packed container, including cargo, packing materials and container tare. SOLAS VI/2 makes the shipper responsible for providing it in time for stowage planning. The requirement took effect on 1 July 2016. Covered containers cannot be loaded without VGM; delegating weighing does not transfer responsibility.
Who is responsible for VGM?
The SOLAS shipper definition includes the legal entity or person named as shipper on the bill of lading, sea waybill or equivalent multimodal document, and/or the party in whose name or on whose behalf the contract of carriage is concluded.
A shipper can delegate the practical work to a freight forwarder, a terminal, or a container freight station, and can authorise a third party to submit the declaration in the shipper's name. Delegation does not transfer the legal responsibility. If the figure is wrong, it is the shipper's problem.
What are the two permitted methods for obtaining VGM?
| Method | How it works | When it is used |
|---|---|---|
| Method 1 | Weigh the entire packed container on calibrated equipment | Whole-container weighing on calibrated and certified equipment |
| Method 2 | Weigh each item and packing element, add the container's tare weight | Used where whole-container weighing is impractical |
Method 2 requires a documented, approved procedure. It is not an estimate and it is not the figure from the commercial invoice.
What tolerance applies?
SOLAS itself does not set a universal tolerance. Do not assume a percentage or one-tonne threshold applies to every trade. National authorities and carriers have their own implementation and enforcement requirements. Check the requirement for your specific trade and carrier rather than assuming.
What happens when VGM is wrong or missing?
Missing: a covered packed container cannot be loaded until VGM is available. IMO guidance allows terminal or carrier representatives to arrange weighing on the shipper's behalf by commercial agreement; the delay may cause the cargo to miss its vessel.
Wrong by more than tolerance: the container may be re-weighed at the shipper's cost, refused, or loaded and stowed incorrectly
Systematically wrong: national administrations conduct random verification and can take enforcement action
The stowage consequence is the one that matters most and gets discussed least. Container stacking plans are built from declared weights. A container declared 180 kg lighter than it is affects how the stack above it is loaded.
Where do VGM errors come from?
The common cause is using the wrong source document. The commercial invoice carries a weight, the packing list carries a weight, and the bill of lading carries a weight. If those three disagree and the VGM was derived from whichever was nearest, the declaration inherits the error.
This is the same root cause as most customs weight discrepancies: a figure transcribed from one document to another without anything comparing them.
For the document workflow described here, see Comparing weights across shipping documents.
Which primary sources support this article?
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Check current requirements with your customs broker or qualified counsel for your shipment.