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Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS)

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On Tuesday, March 1st, the NCBFAA  released a Monday Morning eBriefing newsletter, which focused on the recent statement that was made by the United States Coast Guard (USCG).

According to the NCBFAA eBriefing,  the USCG took a moment to clarify its position on the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and the new carrier guidelines that require the exporter that is listed on carrier’s master bill of lading to provide a certification of the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of any container (including the tare weight of the container) tendered to the vessel operators.

There is no need to change processes

Admiral Paul Thomas of the USCG advised that the Coast Guard would need to implement the IMO’s changes through an appropriate regulatory rulemaking, before the IMO can compel the U.S. shippers and carriers to change their current business practices.

It was said that current ly the USCG feels that today’s process are     working as long as both the shipper and carrier has done their job    properly.  Since there is nothing deficient or inherently unsafe about existing export processes, the Coast Guard feels that there is no need to change processes and will not do anything to enforce the new VGM rules on either the U.S. shippers or carriers .

It is assumed that the carriers will not accept this and will continue to push U.S. exporters and OTIs to still provide a VGM  certificate.  This will be monitored carefully by the NCBFAA.

About Merit Pardo

Merit Tremper is a member of the Chicago Customs Broker and Forwarders Association (CCBFA) board of Directors serving as the Committee Co-Chair for Education, the Committee Co-Chair for the website and the membership committee. She is a member of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA), is the Area 5 Representative to the Board of Directors and sits on the Transportation Committee, Domestic Transportation Working Group, Drawback Committee, Air Freight Subcommittee and Customs Committees. Merit is also the co-chair on the CESAC NVOCC Committee.

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