Proposed changes to the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) convention concerning verification of container weights are due to be implemented approx. July 2016.
The new regulations continue to place responsibility for gross weight declarations on the shipper which must be obtained by:
A. Weighing the packed container on calibrated and certified equipment, or
B. Weighing all of the packages, including packaging, pallets, etc on calibrated and certified equipment and adding this to the tare weight of the container
If the gross weight is not declared, the regulations will not allow the container to be loaded on the vessel.
The shipper can however, arrange for the gross weight to be obtained prior to loading on the vessel and in sufficient time for it to be used on the vessel stowage plan.
It is likely that the terminal/port operator will have to assume responsibility for the availability and accuracy of container weights.
As mentioned in previous posts, Ports are concerned at how traffic flows could be affected by such requirements.
Weighbridges are not a particularly good option as the weight of the truck and trailer need to be known in order to deduct from the overall weight and a further complication would be caused by the vehicle hauling 2 x 20' containers.
Weighing systems incorporated into gantry cranes and straddle carriers have not been particularly effective and cannot provide an individual container weight when using twin lift spreaders.
Twistlock manufacturers have continued to develop technology that allows for the container weight to be obtained via sensors under and/or in the twistlock assembly.
Bromma, RAM and STINIS are now incorporating this technology during spreader production using the system produced by LASSTEC (
www.lasstec.com)which is accurate to within +/- 200 kilos per container.
Acknowledgement: TT Club Mutual Insurance Ltd.