VGM (Verified Gross Mass) meaning in ocean freight.

Weighing by Method 1 or Method 2

SOLAS allows two routes. Method 1 is weighing the container once it is packed, often on a weighbridge. Method 2 is weighing all packages and cargo items, including pallets, dunnage and securing material, and adding the container's tare mass. Method 2 must follow a certified method approved by the authority of the country where packing was completed. A guess, or a weight carried over from an earlier shipment, is not a verified mass.

Shipper duty, cut-offs and no-load rules

Responsibility sits with the shipper named on the B/L or waybill, or the party that contracted with the carrier. The VGM must reach the carrier and the terminal early enough for the stowage plan, so carriers publish a VGM cut-off, often close to the cargo cut-off. A packed container without a VGM must not be loaded, although the terminal may weigh it on the shipper's behalf if the parties agree.

Tare makes the difference

A common mix-up is comparing the VGM with the weight on the bill of lading. The B/L figure usually covers cargo and packing only, while the VGM adds the container's tare, which is marked on the doors. Some terminals weigh boxes at the gate, and a large gap from the declared figure can delay loading. Road limits are a separate matter, so a container can carry a correct VGM and still be too heavy to haul legally on some roads.

Example

A furniture exporter that uses an approved Method 2 procedure adds up its cartons, pallets and dunnage, adds the tare weight marked on MSKU4830212's doors, and submits the total before the VGM cut-off.

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