IMO to act on incorrect container weights

This follows a growing demand within the maritime industry for the IMO to set an international legal requirement that all loaded containers be weighed at their ports of origin before being stowed aboard container ships.

According to the World Shipping Council (WSC) which claims to represent 90% of the world’s containerised shipping, verification of actual container weight before vessel loading and the availability of the actual container weights for proper and safe stowage planning will mark a long overdue and important improvement in industry safety.

“The problem will not be solved until there is a legal requirement to verify container weights before containers are loaded onto ships,” it said. “In those countries that require loaded containers to be weighed before vessel stowage for export, the evidence overwhelmingly indicates that operations can proceed very efficiently without any disruption to commerce.”