As reported in LM, INTTRA's solution facilitates compliance for carriers and their shippers with the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Verified Gross Mass (VGM) amendment. As adopted, the amendment requires all containers to have a VGM - or certified weight - in order to be loaded onto a ship.
The INTTRA eVGM Service provides the operational capabilities for digital submission, receipt, processing and auditing of SOLAS-compliant VGMs for shippers and carriers. ZIM customers using INTTRA e-commerce solutions will be able to submit VGM information through a variety of channels, including EDI, XML, the web, mobile devices and e-mail.
“The eVGM solution now made available to our customers is part of our ongoing efforts to provide first-rate customer service, as part of our strategy and vision,” said Dudi Avni, ZIM VP Customer Service
Andrea Morriera, international logistics manager for Orchard Supply Hardware, told LM in an interview that despite many concerns, the implementation of the SOLAS VGM amendment seems to have been implemented without too many disruptions in service.
“The implementation of VGM amendment was efficient because all affected parties worked together with the same initiative to minimize the disruption of the global supply chain,” she said. “Also, this is a good example of the adaptability of the maritime industry to pressures from external parties.”
Late last month, INTTRA announced a similar arrangement with Hapag-Lloyd.