Enabling swifter processes at ports and compliance with SOLAS with web-based eVGM

Discrepancy between the declared container weight and the actual laden container weight poses great risk against transportation safety. Inaccurate container weight is one of the key causes of serious accidents occurring during maritime transport. Taking this lapse into account, a new regulation from the Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) Convention was adopted by the International Maritime Organization (IMO) in July 2016. This regulation prescribed a mandate for shippers to declare the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of a laden container to the container carrier and the terminal operator. Verified Gross Mass is the total weight of a packed container. VGM includes packing and securing materials such as pallets and wires and container tare weight.

Kale Logistics Solutions’ digital system for filing electronic Verified Gross Mass (eVGM) enables shippers to submit their VGM information to ocean carriers and ports, flexibly and on time, in compliance with SOLAS requirements. Most leading shipping lines are connected to Kale’s eVGM platform.

Kale’s comprehensive eVGM platform has the following features:

• Works as a stand-alone SaaS based Web application with SOLAS compliance
• eVGM repository is accessible to carriers and third parties such as weighbridge providers and terminals
• Allows CBs, shippers and Freight Forwarders to submit VGM details through EDI
• Allows EDI inbound submission as VERMAS, or via shipping instructions (IFTMIN) EDI messages or XML equivalents
• EDI messaging directly to subscribed Ocean Carriers
• Support to multiple weighing scenarios and submission use cases, including third party authorization & submission
• Integration with weighbridge software for fetching accurate container weight thus ensuring accuracy and eliminating data duplication
• Integration for incorporating digital signature
• Easy recharge electronic Verified Gross Mass (eVGM) accounts through online payment gateway using debit/credit card, net banking, UPI or wallets

Business Benefits

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