With implementation of a new global container weight requirement less than a month away, United Arab Shipping Company (UASC), an emerging global carrier, has extended its partnership with INTTRA, the world’s ocean shipping electronic marketplace, to use the INTTRA eVGM Service as a channel to facilitate compliance with the new rule.

As of July 1, under the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea Verified Gross Mass amendment (SOLAS VGM) as adopted, every container must have a certified weight in order to gain clearance to be loaded onto a ship.

Designed to support multiple weighing and container packing scenarios with a range of communications methods, the INTTRA eVGM Service provides the operational capabilities for digital submission, receipt, processing and auditing of SOLAS-compliant VGMs.

“We have always believed in providing our customers with solutions that suit their preference. In our partnership with INTTRA on this SOLAS compliance initiative, we reiterate this commitment,” said Vijay Minocha, Global Head Customer Service and Ecommerce at UASC.

“Giving preference to digital submission of VGMs and providing UASC customers with an opportunity to standardize their submissions will create a foundation for excellent customer service,” said Inna Kuznetsova, INTTRA’s President and Chief Operating Officer.

In December 2015, UASC became a founding member of the non-commercial INTTRA eVGM Alliance, which has worked to help the industry address the challenges of SOLAS VGM through a standardized, digital approach.

INTTRA was a moving force behind the alliance, a non-commercial group of over a dozen leading carriers, freight forwarders, and terminals, which advocates for the digital transmission of VGM and establish common technology and business process standards for it across the industry.

INTTRA’s eVGM software—available in two versions, for carriers and shippers—helps to achieve SOLAS VGM compliance in time for implementation of the amendment and reduce disruption to existing business processes. It can also facilitate transmission of VGMs from carriers to terminals—another step required before a container can be loaded, and provide the necessary audit reporting.

INTTRA eVGM for Shippers enables timely submission of VGMs to carriers, whether or not shippers book containers or submit shipping instructions through INTTRA. Both solutions will be offered in a range of EDI and web service formats, and accommodate eVGM submission via email.