DP World Southampton will fit container-weighing equipment to its entire straddle carrier fleet to support the weighing service the terminal will offer shippers from July 1 when the new SOLAS regulation will be enforced.

The terminal is the first to disclose exactly how it plans to weigh containers in compliance with an amendment to the International Maritime Organizaion's Safety of Life at Sea convention. From July 1, the amendment makes the shipper on the bill of lading responsible for providing the verified gross mass for all export containers to the carriers before loading.

The container weighing system on DP World Southampton’s straddle carriers will be installed by sensor technology company Strainstall, part of James Fisher and Sons, following trials by the Southampton port operator that produced high accuracy levels.

Nick Loader, CEO of DP World Southampton, said the terminal had assessed several options that would allow it to offer a container-weighing service to shippers and selected the Strainstall system because it did not require changes to port operating procedures and was quick to install. 

“The trials demonstrated an accuracy above our expectations and the system will be fully integrated into our terminal operating system to ensure we are able to offer a full VGM service by July 1,” Loader said. He did not disclose the size of its investment in the weighing equipment, or what it would charge for the service.

One school of thought is that with all containers converging at terminals, that is the most logical place for the boxes to be weighed, but few ports have agreed to offer a service. So far, terminals agreeing to weigh containers are thePort of Charleston, Felixstowe, and the Mumbai operations of DP World and APM Terminals.

DP World recently confirmed that its U.K. ports would offer a full container-weighing service to customers to assist the industry in meeting the SOLAS requirements. With little over six weeks until the amendment comes into force, DP World said it wants to be able to offer a fully compliant service to ensure there was no disruption to U.K. exports through its ports. 

Many ports do not have the space or the equipment to weigh every container, and they are reluctant to make a huge investment in scales that may be difficult to recoup from customers. Another concern is that the carriers need the VGM in time to plan the stowage of their vessels, time that may not be available if the box is weighed only once it enters a port.

Strainstall said the solution was specifically developed to meet the SOLAS container weight verification regulations, and during trials the system’s accuracy was in excess of industry expectations. 

“There is a massive global requirement for our container-weighing system,” said Simon Everett, managing director of Strainstall. “The deadline for compliance is fast approaching and port operators all over the world are anxious to implement solutions before the regulations come into force, with the MCA (U.K. Maritime and Coastguard Agency) being the only state authority so far confirming the accuracy requirements, the industry is running out of time to get solutions implemented.”“There is a massive global requirement for our container-weighing system,” said Simon Everett, managing director of Strainstall. “The deadline for compliance is fast approaching and port operators all over the world are anxious to implement solutions before the regulati