Verified Gross Mass, or VGM, is the total verified weight of a packed container, cargo and packing plus the container tare, required under the SOLAS convention before the container can be loaded. It has been mandatory worldwide since 1 July 2016. The shipper can determine it two ways: Method 1 weighs the packed, sealed container on a certified scale, and Method 2 adds the weighed cargo and packing to the container tare weight. The shipper named on the bill of lading is legally responsible, and without a valid VGM by the cut-off, the container is not loaded.
Of all the steps in an ocean export, Verified Gross Mass is one of the simplest to get right and one of the most costly to get wrong. It is a single number, the accurate weight of a packed container, but if it is missing or late, the container does not sail. For an exporter, understanding the rule, the two ways to meet it, and who carries the responsibility is the difference between a shipment that loads on schedule and one that sits on the dock.
This guide explains Verified Gross Mass in plain terms, with a focus on US exports. It covers what the SOLAS rule requires, the two approved weighing methods, who is legally accountable, and how the VGM is submitted, so that compliant ocean freight is the outcome rather than a rolled booking.
What Verified Gross Mass Is
Verified Gross Mass is the total weight of a container once it is packed and ready to ship. It is made up of two parts: everything inside the container, meaning the cargo along with all packaging, pallets, dunnage, and securing material, plus the container's own empty weight, known as the tare weight, which the manufacturer prints on the container door. Added together, these give the verified gross mass.
The word verified is the important part. The weight is not an estimate or a figure carried over from paperwork; it must be determined by actually weighing, using approved equipment and one of two defined methods. That verified figure is then declared to the carrier and the terminal before the container is allowed onto the ship.
Why SOLAS Requires It
The requirement comes from SOLAS, the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, under Chapter VI, Regulation 2. It has applied worldwide since 1 July 2016, after the International Maritime Organization adopted it to address a real safety problem: containers declared at the wrong weight. Misdeclared weights had contributed to poor stowage, collapsed stacks, overloaded vessels, and port incidents that endangered crews and workers.
By requiring a verified weight for every packed container, the rule gives carriers accurate figures for stowage planning and weight distribution on the vessel. The principle is simple and strict: no verified gross mass, no loading. That single line is what makes VGM a gating step in every ocean export rather than just another piece of paperwork.
The Two Weighing Methods
SOLAS allows two ways to determine the verified gross mass. Both are valid; the right one depends on the cargo, the facility, and the equipment available. The table below sets them side by side.
| Aspect | Method 1 | Method 2 |
|---|---|---|
| What is weighed | The whole packed, sealed container | Each item of cargo and packing, then add tare |
| Equipment | A calibrated scale or weighbridge | Certified scales for items, plus the tare on the door |
| Best for | Any cargo, when a weighbridge is accessible | Palletized or itemized cargo weighed as it is packed |
| Key requirement | The scale must be accurate and legal for trade | The calculation must meet the local authority's rules |
Method 2 depends on an accurate tare weight, so it is worth confirming the figure on the container door before relying on it. A clear grasp of container weights, including tare and payload, is part of understanding dry container shipping, and it feeds directly into a correct Method 2 calculation.
Who Files the VGM
Responsibility is where VGM trips up shippers who assume someone else has it covered. Under SOLAS, the shipper named on the ocean bill of lading is legally responsible for providing an accurate verified gross mass. That is the party identified as the shipper on the carrier's bill, which is often the exporter or, where one issues its own House Bill of Lading, an arrangement worth understanding alongside what a licensed NVOCC does on an ocean shipment.
A freight forwarder, a packing facility, or a container terminal can perform the actual weighing and submit the figure on the shipper's behalf, and many do. What they cannot do is take on the legal responsibility. The shipper remains accountable for the accuracy of the declared weight, which is why working with a partner that handles VGM carefully, rather than treating it as an afterthought, protects both the schedule and the shipper.
Need VGM Handled Correctly?
Integrated Global Logistics manages VGM submission and SOLAS compliance as part of its export documentation, so your container is never the one left behind at the cut-off. FMC licensed NVOCC, in-house documentation, and 99.5% on-time performance across FCL, reefer, and dry cargo to 50+ countries. Tell us your shipment and our team will respond within one business day.
Talk to an Export Documentation SpecialistHow and When It Is Submitted
Timing is as important as accuracy. The VGM must reach the carrier before the VGM cut-off, which is a separate and usually earlier deadline than the cargo gate-in cut-off. Each carrier and terminal sets it per vessel and publishes it on the booking confirmation, typically a day or more before departure. Missing it has the same effect as having no VGM at all.
The declaration is sent through the carrier's web portal or by an electronic VERMAS EDI message. A complete submission includes the shipper name exactly as it appears on the bill of lading, the booking and container numbers, the verified gross mass in kilograms, the weighing method used, and an authorized signature or identifier. Getting these details right, and submitting ahead of the cut-off, is what keeps the container moving. The discipline is the same one that produces a clean ocean freight quote and booking: complete, accurate information provided on time.
VGM for US Exports
For containers packed and shipped from the United States, the United States Coast Guard is the competent authority for SOLAS. US exporters meet the requirement using scales that are certified and legal for trade under state weights and measures programs, which cover the weighbridges and scales used across ports, warehouses, and packing facilities.
The US has approached VGM largely as a commercial matter between the shipper and the carrier rather than imposing a separate federal filing regime, so the practical details, the accepted weighing approach and exactly how to submit, are confirmed with the carrier or forwarder for each booking. This is why many US exporters rely on an experienced partner to manage VGM within the wider export documentation set, so the method, the figure, and the submission all line up with the carrier's requirements before the cut-off.
Integrated Global Logistics LLC is an FMC licensed NVOCC and international freight forwarder, founded in 2015, with more than 10 years of experience and 99.5% on-time performance. IGL manages VGM submission and SOLAS compliance within its in-house export documentation, moving FCL, reefer, and dry cargo ocean freight from the USA with direct carrier contracts, real-time visibility, and one operations representative from start to finish, across 50+ countries worldwide.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Verified Gross Mass (VGM)?
Verified Gross Mass, or VGM, is the total verified weight of a packed container, including the cargo, all packaging, dunnage, and securing material, plus the container's own tare weight. It is required under the international SOLAS convention before a packed container can be loaded onto a ship. The shipper must determine the VGM using one of two approved weighing methods and declare it to the carrier and terminal.
When did the SOLAS VGM rule take effect?
The SOLAS Verified Gross Mass requirement has applied worldwide since 1 July 2016, under Chapter VI, Regulation 2 of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea. It was adopted by the International Maritime Organization to prevent accidents caused by misdeclared container weights, which had contributed to vessel and terminal incidents. Since that date, no packed container may be loaded without a verified gross mass.
What are the two VGM weighing methods?
Method 1 is to weigh the fully packed and sealed container on a calibrated and certified scale or weighbridge. Method 2 is to weigh all the cargo, packaging, pallets, dunnage, and securing material separately and add the container's tare weight, which is printed on the container door. Both must use accurate, approved equipment, and Method 2's calculation approach must meet the requirements of the authority where the container is packed.
Who is responsible for providing the VGM?
The shipper named on the ocean bill of lading is legally responsible for providing an accurate Verified Gross Mass. A freight forwarder, packing facility, or terminal can carry out the weighing and submit the VGM on the shipper's behalf, but that does not transfer the legal responsibility. The shipper remains accountable for the accuracy of the declared weight.
What happens if a container has no VGM?
Without a valid VGM submitted by the cut-off, the container cannot be loaded onto the vessel. It is rolled to a later sailing, and the shipper usually bears the resulting storage, rebooking, and demurrage costs, along with any carrier VGM handling fees. An inaccurate declaration can also lead to penalties. Providing the VGM on time is therefore essential to keep a shipment on schedule.
How is the VGM submitted to the carrier?
The VGM is submitted to the carrier or terminal before the VGM cut-off, which is usually a day or more before the cargo gate-in deadline. It is sent through the carrier's web portal or by an electronic VERMAS EDI message. The declaration includes the shipper name as shown on the bill of lading, the booking and container numbers, the VGM in kilograms, the weighing method used, and an authorized signature or identifier.
How is VGM handled for US exports?
For US exports, the United States Coast Guard is the competent authority for SOLAS. Containers weighed in the United States use scales that are certified and legal for trade under state weights and measures programs. The US has treated VGM largely as a commercial matter between the shipper and the carrier, so shippers confirm the accepted weighing approach and submission process with their carrier or forwarder for each booking.
What is the difference between VGM and tare weight?
Tare weight is the weight of the empty container alone, printed on the container door by the manufacturer. Verified Gross Mass is the total weight of the container once it is packed, which is the cargo and all packing materials plus that tare weight. In Method 2, the tare weight is added to the weighed cargo to calculate the VGM, so an accurate tare figure is essential to a correct declaration.
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