Archives
Forwarding, Freight News
Don’t sleepwalk into new weighing rules, warns BIFA
[ June 6, 2016 // Chris ]The British International Freight Association is urging freight forwarders not to be complacent about new Verified Gross Mass (VGM) rules, despite a recent IMO circular urging ‘practical and pragmatic’ enforcement by authorities in the first three months after 1 July.
BIFA director general Robert Keen, director general said the grace period should not be allowed to shape plans for permanantly complying with the new rules.
The IMO circular is maintly to ensure that containers that are loaded before 1 July but transshipped on or after that date, reach their final port of discharge without a VGM.
However: “With just weeks to the mandatory implementation of this revision of international law there are still a number of grey areas and are encouraging all our members to make sure that they are fully prepared and ready to meet their responsibilities.
“Any party which has done its utmost to comply may expect to be treated with understanding. Those who have done little or nothing, can expect to be penalised.”