Is the VGM the same as the gross weight on the SI?

No. The SI gross weight is the cargo (and usually packing) without the container. The VGM includes the container's tare mass.

What happens without a VGM?

The container is not loaded. It stays at the terminal until a VGM is received, usually rolling to a later vessel.

A person authorised by the shipper named on the bill of lading. Their name must be on the declaration.

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VGM (verified gross mass) explained: SOLAS method 1 and method 2.

5 min read · Updated 4 November 2026

Since 1 July 2016, the SOLAS convention (Chapter VI, Regulation 2) says a packed export container can't be loaded onto a ship unless the carrier has its verified gross mass (VGM). The shipper is responsible for it, and forwarders usually submit it.

Method 1: weigh the packed container

The whole packed and sealed container is weighed on calibrated, certified equipment, for example a weighbridge. The result is the VGM.

Method 2: add up the parts

Weigh every package and item of cargo, add the mass of pallets, dunnage and other packing and securing material, then add the container's tare mass (printed on the container door).

VGM = cargo + packing and securing material + container tare.

Some countries require the shipper's method 2 procedure to be approved or certified. Check the rules at your port of loading.

What a correct VGM declaration includes

The container number and booking number
The VGM in kilograms and the method used
The name of the person authorised to sign for the shipper
For method 2, the parts that add up to the total

Checks to run before the VGM cut-off

For method 2, do the parts add up to the declared VGM?
Is the VGM below the container's maximum gross mass on its CSC plate?
Does each container number pass its check digit, and match the SI?
Is the cargo weight close to the gross weight on the SI for the same container?
Is there a signatory?

Free tools for this

Free toolVGM calculatorWork out the verified gross mass with SOLAS method 2 and check it against max gross.Open →Free toolContainer number checkerCheck one container number or a whole list against the ISO 6346 check digit.Open →

Questions

Is the VGM the same as the gross weight on the SI?: No. The SI gross weight is the cargo (and usually packing) without the container. The VGM includes the container's tare mass.
What happens without a VGM?: The container is not loaded. It stays at the terminal until a VGM is received, usually rolling to a later vessel.
Who signs the VGM?: A person authorised by the shipper named on the bill of lading. Their name must be on the declaration.

Sources

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LOGIDOC reads every SI, VGM and booking confirmation from your inbox, flags the errors before the cut-off, and lays the approved data out for the carrier's website. Book a 30-day pilot or try the demo.

Guide · 5 min readWhat is a shipping instruction (SI)? Fields, cut-off and common errors.A plain guide to the shipping instruction (SI) in sea freight: what it contains, when the SI cut-off is, and the mistakes that lead to amendment fees and rolled containers.Open →Guide · 4 min readHow the container number check digit works (ISO 6346).How a shipping container number is built under ISO 6346, how the check digit is calculated, and how to spot a mistyped container number in seconds.Open →Guide · 4 min readHow to avoid SI amendment fees and late SI charges.Why carriers charge late SI and B/L amendment fees, what they typically cost, and a simple routine that stops most of them before the SI cut-off.Open →

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