What You Need to Know About the New SOLAS Regulation

With the new SOLAS Regulation set to come into effect on 1 July 2016, there has been a lot of discussion about what the new ruling entails, and what it will mean for the industry. There has also been a lot of confusion, particularly regarding who is responsible for implementing the changes and enforcing the ruling. To help clear things up, here are the key facts you need to know.What is the new regulation?The new regulation states that after 1st July 2016, it will be a violation of SOLAS to load a packed container onto a vessel without a Verified Gross Mass (VGM). The regulation was introduced as a response to the high number of maritime incidents, where containers of estimated weight have been loaded onto a vessel without due planning, causing instability that lead to loss of cargo and vessels, injuries, and even fatalities.