Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Ports and Shipping has issued guidance on the implementation of the SOLAS VI Regulation 2 amendment that requires the verification of gross mass in packed containers (Container Weight Verification) with effect from 1 July 2016.
In its Merchant Shipping Notice MSN 21/2016 dated 6 June 2016, the Ministry advises that the amendment places a requirement on the shipper of packed containers to verify and provide the container’s gross mass to the carrier and terminal representative prior to it being loaded onto a ship. The vessel operator and the terminal operator are required to use verified container weights in vessel stowage plans and are prohibited from loading a packed container aboard a vessel for export if the container does not have a verified container weight.
Unless specified, the requirements to verify the gross mass of a packed container apply to all containers to which the CSC applies, and which are to be stowed onto any ship for the purpose of exporting goods from Sri Lanka. The gross mass of inbound containers will have either been verified in the country of loading or through prior agreement between shipper and carrier.
The provisions of SOLAS Chapter VI, Part A, Regulation 2 do not apply to:
i. A packed container on a chassis or trailer to be driven on a ro-ro ship which is engaged on short international voyages.
ii. Cargo items tendered by a shipper to the master for packing into a container already on board the ship.
iii. "Offshore containers" to which the CSC, according to the Guidelines for the approval of offshore containers handled in open seas and the Revised recommendations on harmonized interpretation and implementation of the International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972, as amended (CSC.1/Circ.138/Rev.1).