Consequences of wrong declaration of weight Normally while booking empty containers for loading, the shipper is asked about the weight of cargo by carrier. Shipper declares weight in shipping documents and complete customs formalities. It is not the responsibility of customs of each country to assess exact weight of cargo unless otherwise the shipper claims any benefit under quantity based goods. So the responsibility of declaring correct weight is vested with the shipper. Maintaining Stability of the ship while loading containers plays an important role in safety of all cargo in a cargo ship. The cargo is stowed with heavy weight containers on deck or under deck and lighter containers upwards. So 14 tons container will be under 12 tons container and so on. If 12 tons container’s actual weight is 15 tons it effects the stability of the ship in turn the whole containers of ship. The loading equipment may get damaged and results accidents based on the said wrong information on weight. As per my experience during career, there was a case study on wrong declaration of weight. The declared weight in packing list and shipping bills was 16.5 tons (which is the safe weight instructed by carrier to move the cargo to US ports). The container has been caught on the highway on transit to inland destination of US due to overweight. The container has been actually weighed and found the actual cargo weight is 26 tons! Compare the difference. It was more than 50% variation!. So you can follow the consequences on stability of ship, if this container is under 17 tons actual weight container which is loaded under this container. In spite of several precautions taken by the authorities to control these cases, the wrong declaration of weight continues by the shipper to save overweight charges. However, the recent steps taken by the authorities of various countries minimize such cases as the penal charges imposing is too heavy, by taking in to consideration on the seriousness of consequences. The over weight cargo leads serious accidents which threatens the lives of innocent crew, working at various locations apart from docks. Shippers may brush up your mind, while declaring wrong weight - you are saving little money against the huge loss of wealth or lives of others! When a booking is accepted, the shipper advises the shipping line the estimated cargo weight. Once after accepting cargo from shipper, the carrier moves cargo to load port and if terminals weighs the cargo, the actual weight has to be intimated to the vessel planning authorities for necessary stowage. Since the overweight of cargo effects the stability of vessel, the stow planning officials of vessel can stop loading such mis-declared overweight cargo. The shipping line can also stop loading container if found weight declared wrongly by shipper. Inland highway authorities at different states in different countries have different rules and regulations. While booking a cargo for door delivery at destination, the shipper should know such regulations of each destination state or country (or both) pertaining to the weight conditions. If the cargo has been loaded with an excess weight or wrong declared weight, shipping line can switch the transport mode in Bill of lading as ‘port to port’, even though the carrier accepted goods as ‘door delivery’, as the shipper violated the terms and conditions of weight declaration. In such cases, all necessary additional charges with penal charges if any to be paid by the shipper. The carrier also can transfer the excess shipped cargo to another container and the necessary charges has to be born by the customer. Safety of Life at Sea Convention (SOLAS) is under the process to establish a universal international regulatory requirement on this issue to make confirm on the actual weight of cargo available with the vessel operators before ship stowage planning. The compulsory weighing arrangements are being introduced in due course by authorities to regulate these issues. Maritime safety has to be maintained by revising maritime regulation with more discipline in declaring weight among all levels of supply chain.
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 02:55:45 +0000
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