Verified Gross Mass (VGM)

Shippers to declare Verified Gross Mass for all containers which are planned to be loaded aboard seagoing vessels

SOLAS GUIDELINES

To ensure the safety of the vessel, cargo, workers both aboard vessels and ashore and overall safety at sea, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) require shippers (“sender of the goods”) to declare the gross weight of all packed containers prior to stowage aboard a seagoing vessel.

WHAT IS VERIFIED GROSS MASS?

The Verified Gross Mass is the total gross mass of a packed container (weight of all packages and cargo items, including pallets, dunnage and other securing material plus the container tare weight) as declared by the shipper. 

The Verified Gross Mass can be obtained either through:

  • Method 1) Weighing the packed container using calibrated and certified equipment
  • Method 2) Weighing all packages and cargo items, including the mass of pallets, dunnage and other securing material to be packed in the container and adding the tare mass of the container to the sum of the single masses, 


WHEN IS THE VERIFIED GROSS MASS REQUIRED?

The Verified Gross Mass must be available to the carrier and the terminal to be used in the ship stowage plan sufficiently in advance.

WHO IS RESPONSIBLE TO PROVIDE THE VERIFIED GROSS MASS?

The Shipper is responsible to obtain and document the Verified Gross Mass regardless of who physically transports the cargo

HOW DO I DECLARE THE VERIFIED GROSS MASS TO SAMSKIP?

You can submit the Verified Gross mass by container:

  • Via the MySamskip customer portal
    • If you have a MySamskip account, please Login here MySamskip
    • If you do not have a MySamskip account yet, please contact your dedicated account manager or local Samskip office
  • By signing a VGM-agreement.
    • When you sign a VGM-agreement you authorize Samskip to determine VGMs for your containers on your behalf based on the Gross Cargo Weight you declare in your booking or shipping instruction. Samskip adds the container tare weight to your declared Gross Cargo Weight and registers this as VGM on your behalf.
    • Please mail a completed VGM agreement to your dedicated account manager or local Samskip office
  • Via Electronic Data Interchange – as part of our EDI-booking-set-up

For more background information, please refer to the IMO website,

For any other questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.