SOLAS VGM: What It Is and What Scale You Need to Comply

If your business ships goods internationally by sea, SOLAS VGM is not optional background knowledge — it is a legal requirement with hard consequences for non-compliance. A container without a declared Verified Gross Mass cannot be loaded onto a vessel. No estimate, no approximation, and no shipper exception applies. The regulation has been in force since July 1, 2016, and the scale requirements it imposes on every exporting shipper are specific, binding, and enforced at the port terminal before loading begins. This article explains what SOLAS VGM is, the two legally permitted methods for obtaining it, who is responsible, what the consequences of non-compliance are, and what weighing equipment is required to satisfy the regulation in a US shipping operation.

What SOLAS VGM Is and Why It Exists

SOLAS stands for Safety of Life at Sea — the foundational international maritime safety convention administered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). The VGM amendment — adopted under resolution MSC.380(94) and effective July 1, 2016 — was introduced after a series of marine casualties and incidents in which misdeclared container weights were identified as a contributing factor.

The specific problem the regulation addresses is straightforward: when a container’s declared weight is inaccurate, the ship’s stowage plan — which determines where each container is positioned on the vessel to maintain stability — is built on false data. Containers stacked based on incorrect weights shift loads during transit, destabilize the vessel, and in the most serious cases contribute to capsizing or container overboard incidents. With an estimated 10% of containers historically carrying incorrect weight declarations, the scale of the problem was significant enough to trigger a global mandatory response.

As confirmed by the IMO, the SOLAS amendment introduces two requirements that now apply universally to all packed containers loaded onto vessels engaged in international maritime traffic:

1. The shipper is responsible for providing the verified gross mass and stating it in the shipping document before loading.
2. A verified gross mass is a condition for loading. A container without a declared VGM will not be placed on the vessel.

The Two Legally Permitted VGM Methods

The SOLAS regulation permits exactly two methods for obtaining the VGM. No other method — including estimation, calculation from product specifications, or averaging — satisfies the requirement.

Method 1 — Weigh the Packed and Sealed Container

The entire packed container — with all cargo, dunnage, bracing, and securing materials inside, and the container doors sealed — is weighed as a single unit using calibrated and certified weighing equipment. The resulting weight is the VGM.

Scale required for Method 1: A weighbridge, container scale, or heavy-duty floor scale capable of accommodating a fully loaded container. A standard 20-foot container loaded to the ISO maximum gross weight limit of 67,197 lb (30,480 kg) requires a scale with at least that capacity, calibrated and certified by the competent authority of the state in which packing was completed.

Advantages of Method 1: Simple, single measurement, no calculation required, and no risk of mathematical error in the VGM declaration.

Limitations of Method 1: Requires access to a weighbridge or certified heavy-capacity scale — equipment that not every shipper’s facility has on site. Terminal operators at many US ports offer container weighing as a service, but this must be arranged in advance and may incur additional fees.

Method 2 — Weigh All Components and Calculate

The shipper weighs every individual item to be loaded into the container — all packages, cargo items, pallets, dunnage, bracing, and securing materials — and adds the tare weight of the container itself to the total. The tare weight of every container is marked on the container door — it is a required specification under ISO standards.

VGM under Method 2:

VGM = Sum of all item weights + Tare weight of the container

Every individual weighing under Method 2 must be performed on certified and calibrated equipment. The method must be approved by the competent authority of the state in which packing was completed — in the United States, the US Coast Guard is the designated competent authority for SOLAS VGM compliance. As confirmed by Descartes, the US Coast Guard has not imposed strict national requirements beyond the SOLAS baseline — but certified and calibrated equipment is required for every weighing event under both methods.

Advantages of Method 2: Does not require a container-capacity scale. Individual pallet and package weights measured during normal packing operations satisfy the requirement when performed on certified equipment. Better suited for shippers packing containers from multiple SKUs with established weight records per unit.

Limitations of Method 2: Every individual weighing must be performed on certified equipment. A single uncertified scale in the weight chain invalidates the VGM calculation. The tare weight must be taken from the container’s data plate — not from a generic reference table.

Who Is Responsible for SOLAS VGM Compliance

The SOLAS amendment places legal responsibility unambiguously on the shipper — defined as the legal entity or person named on the Bill of Lading or sea waybill. As Maersk confirms, this responsibility cannot be transferred. A freight forwarder or logistics provider can assist with the process — measuring, calculating, and transmitting the VGM on the shipper’s behalf — but the shipper named on the BOL remains legally responsible if the VGM is inaccurate or missing.

The VGM must be submitted to the carrier and terminal representative sufficiently in advance of the vessel loading cutoff — specifically, early enough to be incorporated into the ship stowage plan. Most carriers operate a VGM cutoff that is earlier than the standard cargo cutoff. Missing the VGM cutoff can result in the container missing its sailing, even if all other documentation is in order.

Documentation requirements:

The VGM declaration must include:

• The declared VGM in kilograms or pounds
• The verification method used (Method 1 or Method 2)
• The name and signature of the authorized signatory of the shipper
• Reference to the certified weighing method or equipment used

There is no mandatory standard form for the VGM declaration — the information can be included in the shipping instruction or submitted as a separate document. Electronic transmission via VERMAS (Verified Gross Mass Message) EDI is the preferred protocol of most carriers and terminal operators.

What Happens if You Do Not Comply

Non-compliance with SOLAS VGM requirements produces a single immediate consequence: the container is not loaded. As confirmed by the IMO, the availability of the VGM to the terminal representative and the ship’s master sufficiently in advance is a prerequisite for loading, not a guideline.

Beyond the immediate refusal to load, non-compliance can produce:

• Detention and demurrage charges — the container occupies terminal space without being loaded, generating daily storage and container hire fees
• Missed sailing — the next available vessel booking may be days or weeks later, depending on the route
• Re-weighing fees — if the terminal agrees to weigh the container on the shipper’s behalf as a contingency, the cost is the shipper’s responsibility
• Carrier and terminal penalties — some carriers apply surcharges for VGM non-compliance or late submission
• Reputational consequences — repeated non-compliance can affect a shipper’s standing with carriers and forwarders on established trade lanes

Providing an estimate rather than a verified weight is also non-compliant. As Allison Shipping confirms, SOLAS requires a verified weight — an estimate or best guess does not satisfy the regulation regardless of how close it may be to the true weight.

What Scale Do You Need to Comply With SOLAS VGM

Scale requirements differ between the two methods.

For Method 1 — Container-Capacity Certified Scale

Method 1 requires a scale capable of weighing a fully loaded container as a single unit. In practice, this means:

• Weighbridge: The standard solution at ports, terminals, and logistics hubs. A vehicle weighbridge that can accommodate a loaded truck and container produces the combined weight, from which the truck tare is subtracted to yield the container VGM.
• Container scale / heavy floor scale: Some larger shipper facilities have dedicated container scales. Capacity must exceed the maximum loaded container weight, at a minimum of 70,000 lb (approximately 32,000 kg) for standard ISO containers.
• NTEP certification: In the United States, the scale must be calibrated and certified. For commercial weighing applications, NTEP certification under NIST Handbook 44 provides the standard certification framework. State Weights and Measures approval from the applicable state authority is also required for commercial use.

Most US exporters without on-site container weighing capability use the port terminal’s weighbridge as the Method 1 solution, arranged through the carrier or freight forwarder.

For Method 2 — NTEP-Certified Pallet and Package Scales

Method 2 requires certified and calibrated scales for every individual weighing event in the VGM calculation chain. For a typical US exporter packing containers from their own facility, this means:

• Pallet scale — NTEP certified, calibrated, with sufficient capacity for loaded pallet weights. Every pallet to be loaded into the container must be individually weighed on this instrument. For guidance on specifying the right pallet scale, see our pallet scale buying guide.
• Parcel or floor scale — for individual packages and items that are not palletized. Each item must be weighed on certified equipment.
• Calibration documentation — the scale’s current calibration certificate, showing traceability to NIST and the date of last calibration, must be available as supporting documentation for the VGM declaration.

Critical requirement for Method 2 scale records: Every individual weight used in the VGM calculation must be traceable to a certified weighing event. A weight taken from a product specification sheet, a previous shipment record, or a nominal value does not satisfy the requirement — only a weight measured on certified equipment at the time of packing is compliant.

The Two-Method Decision: Which One Applies to Your Operation

Factor	Method 1	Method 2
Equipment required	Container-capacity weighbridge or scale	NTEP-certified pallet and package scales
Weighing location	Terminal, port, or on-site if equipment available	Shipper’s packing facility
Calculation required	No — single measurement	Yes — sum of all items plus tare
Best suited for	FCL shipments, large exporters with weighbridge access	Shippers packing containers from multiple SKUs
Risk of error	Low — single measurement	Higher — multiple weighing events required
Documentation	Single weight record	Individual records for every item weighed

Most US exporters shipping Full Container Load (FCL) use Method 1 via the port terminal weighbridge when they do not have on-site container-capacity scales, and Method 2 when they have certified pallet and package scales at their packing facility and want to generate the VGM without an additional terminal weighing step.

Practical VGM Compliance Checklist for US Exporters

Before every container booking for sea export, confirm the following:

• Method 1 or Method 2 selected and documented for this shipment
• If Method 1: terminal weighbridge booking confirmed or on-site container scale available and calibrated
• If Method 2: all individual weighing equipment is NTEP certified and within the calibration period
• Container tare weight taken from the container’s data plate — not from a reference table
• VGM calculated, and a VGM declaration prepared with an authorized signatory
• VGM submitted to the carrier before the carrier’s VGM cutoff — earlier than the cargo cutoff
• VGM transmitted to the terminal representative via VERMAS EDI or approved alternative
• Calibration certificate for all scales used in the VGM calculation is on file and available for audit

For the calibration requirements that apply to the scales used in SOLAS VGM compliance, see our article on shipping scale calibration requirements.

FAQs

Conclusion

SOLAS VGM is one of the few shipping regulations where non-compliance produces an immediate, binary consequence — the container does not load, and every cost that follows is the shipper’s responsibility. Compliance requires either access to a container-capacity certified weighbridge for Method 1, or NTEP-certified pallet and package scales at the packing facility for Method 2. In the United States, calibrated and certified equipment is the baseline requirement under US Coast Guard implementation of the SOLAS amendment, and a calibration certificate for every scale in the VGM calculation chain is the documentary evidence that protects a shipper in the event of a compliance challenge.

For the full requirements that apply to scale calibration in shipping applications, see our article on shipping scale calibration requirements.