Implementation of the new SOLAS (Safety of Life At Sea) IMO weighing regulations

Dear Customers,

With only two weeks remaining until the implementation date of the SOLAS regulations i.e. July 1st, 2016 please allow us to brief you on latest developments in the process.

As you already might be aware, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has softened its stance on the enforcement of new safety regulations due to enter force on 1 July that make container weighing mandatory, instructing regulators to take a “pragmatic approach” in the first three months in order to minimize supply chain disruption (please see attached MSC.1/Circ.1548/ 23rd May 2016).

Two notable changes as shown below:

• permitting packed containers that are loaded on a ship before 1 July 2016 and are transshipped on or after 1 July 2016 to be shipped to their final port of discharge without the VGM specified in SOLAS regulations VI/2.4 to VI/2.6; and
• providing flexibility to all the stakeholders in containerized transport to refine, if necessary, procedures for documenting, communicating and sharing VGM information.

As such please note that DP World Constanta understands to comply with SOLAS regulations and it’s amendments as follows:

• Transshipment full containers discharged in the terminal prior to July 1st that are bound to be loaded on a vessel on/after July 1st 2016 will not require VGM until October 1st 2016.
• Export full containers discharged in the terminal prior to July 1st 2016 that are bound to be loaded on a vessel on/after July 1st 2016 require VGM and invoicing of VGM related services shall be performed as advised in our previous letters.

DP World Constanta is ready at any time to provide VGM related services to its customers (shipping lines and agents of the shipping lines) using all previously advised methods.

As such our terminal will accept both VGM and non VGM containers, offering the latter weighing services within our facility. In terms of weighing equipment, aside the existing weighing bridge, two additional weighing bridges are in process of acquisition, one to be located within the RTG yard and the other within the rail yard, thus our terminal will have full weighing capacity to cater for any weighing volume request.

For seamless information flow, DP World Constanta will be offering its customers the option of submitting VGM via VERMAS/Baplie electronic messaging as well as manual input of VGM during gate-in process, based on full set of VGM related documents.

Processing information within this project as part of the terminals implementation strategy will be carried out as follows:

• Customers can submit VERMAS to the terminal, after the container has been gated-in. Submission of VERMAS prior to the container entering the terminal yard can only be done if the vessel loading list has already been processed and the container is pending arrival;
• Customers can provide during gate-in/ rail discharge process full set of VGM documents, the manual insertion of data in the system constituting a billable service. Any subsequent submission of VERMAS will be processed and invoiced;
• An export or transshipment container exiting the terminal (e.g. customs inspection, CFS) after weighing service has been performed or VERMAS/Baplie submitted, will automatically imply either reweighing or VERMAS re-submission or provision of new set of VGM documents;
• All non VGM containers will be blocked in the system for loading and unblocked only when VGM is recorded;
• All VGM containers (weighing services performed in the terminal/ information submitted via VERMAS/Baplie/manual input of VGM during gate-in process) will be reported as VGM containers in COARRI at the time of loading.
• All BAPLIE files received will contain VGM information for all transshipment containers. In case a transshipment container is discharged in the terminal yard without VGM, the container will be blocked for further loading until weighing services performed in the terminal/ information submitted via VERMAS/ manual input of VGM based on full set of documents;
• BAPLIE files submitted to vessel will contain VGM information;
• For weighing services performed within the terminal yard, no VERMAS messaging required or any documents providing VGM.
• Cut-off for submission of VERMAS is 24 Hours prior to vessel arrival;
• Request for VGM provision shall be carried out via work order as part of the normal working procedure with the terminal.

These are the guiding principles for information exchange, for detailed information; please don’t hesitate to contact our department in charge with electronic data transmission: TOS@csct.ro , PIC: Mr. Mihai Cheregi, Business Optimization Manager.

Moving forward to the commercial aspect of the project, please find below the applicable tariff items for services related to VGM:

Standard tariff rates have been forwarded to all shipping lines/agents under contract with DP World Constanta.

It is our strong belief that offering this new service will create additional value for our customers by ensuring seamless flow of data, enabling less interruption in the supply chain and reduce the probability of export late arrival containers impact.