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Free VGM declaration template (verified gross mass)

VGM (verified gross mass) is the total weight of a packed container: cargo, packaging, pallets and securing material plus the container's tare. SOLAS requires the shipper to give the carrier a signed VGM before loading. There is no international form: use this sheet where a written declaration is accepted, or to work out the figures and keep a record.

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VGM declaration – sample data

What the template covers

  • Shipper as named on the bill of lading, and the carrier
  • Booking number, B/L number if issued, vessel and voyage, port of loading
  • SOLAS method 1 or 2, and the Method 2 approval number where the country requires one
  • Container number, size and type, and seal number
  • For Method 2: cargo, pallets, dunnage, packing and securing material plus the tare mass marked on the container, added up by formula
  • VGM in kg for each container, and the weighing slip or certificate number and date
  • A statement that the figures are the verified gross mass under SOLAS chapter VI regulation 2
  • Name in capitals, position and signature of the person authorized by the shipper

Sources

  1. IMO, Verification of the gross mass of a packed container
  2. IMO, Resolution MSC.380(94): amendments to SOLAS chapter VI, regulation 2 (verified gross mass)
  3. IMO, MSC.1/Circ.1475: Guidelines regarding the verified gross mass of a container carrying cargo
  4. GOV.UK (Maritime and Coastguard Agency), Verified gross mass of containers
  5. Transport Canada, TP 15330: Canadian procedure for obtaining the verified gross mass of packed containers
  6. Hong Kong Marine Department, Guidelines on the verified gross mass of containers
  7. AMSA, Container weight verification: tolerance, enforcement and delays
  8. Maritime NZ, Container weight FAQs
  9. TT Club, ICHCA, WSC and Global Shippers' Forum, VGM supplementary FAQs (2016)
  10. Hapag-Lloyd, VGM: information for shippers (cut-off and how to submit)
  11. Hapag-Lloyd, 20' Standard container (tare and maximum gross mass)
  12. Maersk, How to submit Verified Gross Mass (VGM)?
  13. SMDG, VERMAS message implementation guideline

Guides on this topic

VGM (Verified Gross Mass) Explained: SOLAS Rules, Method 1 vs Method 2 and How to Calculate ItWhat the VGM is, who must declare it under SOLAS chapter VI regulation 2, how Method 1 and Method 2 work, a calculation example, signatures and…Container ISO size and type codes: 22G1, 42G1, 45G1, 45R1 explainedWhat the 4-character ISO 6346 size and type code on a container means: 22G1, 42G1, 45G1, 22R1, 45R1, 22U1, 22T1, L5G1, plus how the container…FCL vs LCL: when to book a full container or share oneFCL vs LCL sea freight explained: how LCL consolidation at a CFS works, W/M pricing (1 CBM = 1 tonne), where FCL starts to beat LCL, extra transit…Bill of Lading Draft Check: SI, VGM, UCP 600, US ISF and EU ICS2Check a B/L draft before issue: parties, ports, goods, marks, weights, freight terms, on-board date, UCP 600 credit rules, US manifest and ISF, EU…

Method 1 or Method 2

Method 1: weigh the packed and sealed container on calibrated and certified equipment, such as a weighbridge. Method 2: weigh all packages and cargo items, including pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material, and add the tare mass of the container, using a method certified by the competent authority of the country where the container was packed; the tare is marked on the container door. Method 2 is not suitable for bulk cargo such as scrap metal or unbagged grain, and an estimate is not a VGM.

Method 2 example: a 20 ft container

Example numbers only. Cargo with its packaging, 600 cartons × 30 kg: 18,000 kg. Pallets, 20 × 25 kg: 500 kg. Dunnage and securing material: 100 kg. Container tare, 20 ft: 2,350 kg (an example figure from Hapag-Lloyd; use the tare marked on your container). VGM = 18,000 + 500 + 100 + 2,350 = 20,950 kg. This must not exceed the maximum gross mass on the container's safety approval (CSC) plate.

Signature, cut-off, and no VGM, no loading

The shipping document must state clearly that the figure is the verified gross mass and be signed by a person duly authorized by the shipper; an electronic signature, or the person's name in capitals, is accepted. It must reach the carrier and the terminal early enough for the stowage plan, which in practice means before the carrier's VGM cut-off shown on the booking confirmation. A packed container without a VGM shall not be loaded on the ship.

Tolerances differ by country

SOLAS sets no tolerance; each country decides. The UK MCA applies ±5% or ±500 kg, whichever is greater; Canada 5%, but not more than 500 kg; Hong Kong ±5% above 10 tonnes and ±0.5 tonne at or below 10 tonnes; Australia, New Zealand and Singapore specify none. Where the declared and verified weights differ, the verified gross mass, or the terminal's own weighing, is used. Keep the weighing records as long as local rules require.

Common questions

What is a VGM declaration?

The shipper's signed statement of the verified gross mass of a packed container, required under SOLAS chapter VI regulation 2 before the container can be loaded on a ship. It can be a document, an entry in the carrier's portal or an EDI message.

Who signs the VGM declaration?

A person duly authorized by the shipper named on the bill of lading. A forwarder may obtain and send the VGM if the shipper authorizes it, but the shipper remains responsible.

How do I calculate the VGM with Method 2?

Add the weights of all packages and cargo items, pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material to the tare mass marked on the container. Method 2 must be approved or certified in the country where the container is packed.

Is there an official VGM form?

No. The IMO sets no international template, so each carrier states what it accepts: its portal, EDI, an Excel or PDF form, or a signed document like this one. Check the carrier's instructions and cut-off.

What happens if the VGM is missing or wrong?

A packed container without a VGM should not be loaded until one is obtained; the master or the terminal may obtain it on the shipper's behalf, with the costs settled commercially. If the declared and verified figures differ, the verified gross mass is used.

Is the VGM the same as the weight on my packing list or bill of lading?

Not automatically. The VGM is the total gross mass of the packed container, so it includes the container's tare, pallets and securing material. Cargo weights on trade documents are separate figures.

Can I estimate the VGM or use the container's maximum weight?

No. SOLAS prescribes two ways to obtain a VGM: weigh the packed container, or weigh the contents and add the tare. An estimate is neither, and the maximum gross mass on the safety approval plate is a loading limit, not the container's weight.

Must I weigh cartons that already show their weight?

Not under Method 2: original sealed packages with their accurate mass clearly and permanently marked on them need not be weighed again. You still add pallets, securing material and the tare.

How is a VGM sent to the carrier, and what is VERMAS?

The IMO guidelines prefer electronic transmission, such as EDI (electronic data interchange). Maersk takes the VGM in its shipping instructions or on a shipment's Containers & VGM tab; Hapag-Lloyd takes it on its website, through a portal or by EDI. VERMAS is the EDI message for a VGM.

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