Verified Gross Mass (VGM) required for rail billing to load ports in Canada

As safety is a top priority at Maersk, we recognize the importance of the SOLAS Verified Gross Mass (VGM) requirement as a condition for loading containers aboard our vessels. Ocean terminals in Canada do not routinely scale containers, nor can the ocean carrier use cargo weight to calculate VGM. Therefore, VGM must be provided by the shipper, regardless if the container arrives at the ocean terminal by truck or by rail, and regardless if the place of receipt is in the US or Canada.

Effective April 18, 2022, VGM will be required (in additional to cargo weight) when submitting the rail billing request to Maersk for containers scheduled to load from an ocean terminal in Canada. This will help ensure the most reliable weight is available for safe transport of the container and will reduce congestion at the ocean terminal due to containers rolling as a result of missing VGM.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to your local customer service representative. You will find contact details of our local offices on Maersk website.