The new global Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations require that the weight of each container for sea freight transport must be declared and verified. Read about solutions for either weighing the complete container or individual shipments.
- Get our free SOLAS Guide
- Stay SOLAS compliant with reliable forklift scales
- Weigh individual shipments with a floor scale
- Weigh small shipments with bench scales
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A new sea freight convention that took effect in July will require shippers whose names appear on the bill of lading to verify the gross mass of all containers before they are shipped at the terminal. This regulation was issued by the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), an international maritime safety treaty from the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the maritime arm of the United Nations. Legal requirements and enforcement are likely to vary among the 159 convention signatories, but ocean carriers and terminals will not allow any cargo at sea without verified gross mass from the shipper.
To comply with the regulation, two weighing methods are allowed. In Method 1, you must weigh the entire container, contents and packing. Method 2 requires you to weigh contents separately, adding the packing material and the container tare weight to compute the declared weight.
We can help
As the world's largest manufacturer of weighing equipment, let us be your trusted partner for compliance to the new SOLAS convention guidelines. Our long-lasting scales and systems are legal-for-trade everywhere you weigh and are ready to deploy immediately anywhere along the logistics chain.
Each of the methods has its advantages. As the premier weighing equipment and service provider, we can help meet your exact needs. Check out our solutions for the different methods and request a free consultation by our experts.
Benefits of Method 1:
- A simplified process
- Requires only one or two weighments be taken instead of dozens of small weighments and summation
- Less time and effort required
- Most suitable equipment: Truck scales
Benefits of Method 2:
- Smaller equipment is ideal for businesses with spacial constraints
- Can be easily integrated into current internal processes
- Less permanent solution for businesses that lease their work space; ability to take equipment with you in case of a move
- Most suitable equipment: Floor, forklift and portable bench scales
- Forklift and battery-powered bench scales allow weighing and handling at the same time