Resolution of VGM issued by Spanish maritime authorities

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On the 30th of June of 2016 the Spanish Official Gazette (number 157) published a Resolution dated 15th June 2016 issued by the General Directorate of the Merchant Navy (GDMN), regarding the verification of the gross mass (VGM) of containers, and that partially amends the previous Resolution of the GDMN dated 31st May 2016 (https://www.boe.es/boe/dias/2016/06/30/). This Resolution differs slightly from the Resolution dated 31st May 2016 in sections 2, 5, 10, 11 13 and in its Annex.

In particular, the Annex to Resolution dated 15th June 2016 establishes the minimum contents that the documents issued by the shipper must include declaring the gross mass of a container (VGM). These are:

  • The name and address of the shipper. If the verification is carried out by a third party in the name of the shipper, the document will contain the name and address of both.
  • The verified gross mass of the full container, expressed in kilograms and preceded by the letters VGM.
  • The Method (1 or 2) employed to obtain the gross mass.
  • The name and signature (electronic signature or name in capital letters) of the individual or company that issues the document.
  • Date and place in which the document is issued.

This Resolution will apply to containers that are dispatched from 1st July 2016 onwards. However, the Resolution will not apply to those containers that, having been dispatched before such date, although they may not have been loaded yet onto a vessel subject to SOLAS’ Chapter VI, are already in transit on that date.