How to deal with container overweight?
- Author:Alvin
- Source:HKSG-GROPU
- Release Date:2018-12-13
How to deal with container overweight?
Container itself is limited
Each container has a maximum weight limit on the open door, such as MAX GROSS: 30480KGS. This means that your box cannot be more than this weight. Tare--20GP: 2200KGS, 40: 3.720-4200KGS, and some HQs will have MAX GROSS: 32000KGS.
This is the maximum strength that the container box can withstand. If the loading exceeds this limit, the deformation of the box may occur, the bottom plate may fall off, the top beam may be bent, etc., and all losses arising therefrom will be borne by the loader. At present, most professional container terminals in China have installed automatic weighbridges. Therefore, as long as the container loading exceeds the weight limit of the box, the terminal will refuse to accept the container. Therefore, it is recommended that you check the weight limit on the container before packing to avoid unnecessary reloading.
If the goods are indeed overweight and cannot be split, then you can choose an overweight box. The increase will be the weight selection. The general terminal/yard will stack the common dry boxes of the shipping company. If you want to choose a special weighting cabinet (such as the 20 weighting cabinet mentioned above), the terminal and the yard must be one by one. Find, the resulting cabinet fee is generally the same as the designated counter fee.
Container transportation is a multi-sectoral collaborative process, so in addition to the weight limit of the container itself, there are other factors to consider.

Shipping company limit
Under normal circumstances, each shipping company's weight policy is different. The standard is not to damage the container as the standard.
In the balance of space and weight considerations. Each container ship has a certain space and weight limit, but on a particular route, the space and weight are not always well balanced. Contradictions often occur in North China where heavy cargo is concentrated. The weight of the ship has arrived, and the number of cabins is still much less. In order to make up for this loss of space, the shipping company often adopts a fare increase strategy, that is, the cargo weight exceeds the number of tons and additional freight charges are added. . There are also shipping companies that do not use their own ships, but to buy the shipping space of other shipping companies. The weight restrictions will be more stringent, because the shipping between the shipping companies is calculated according to the standard of 1TEU=14TONS or 16TONS. , the weight is not given to the ship.
During the explosion period, depending on the hotness of the route, the shipping company will reduce the weight limit of each box type accordingly.
When booking, at the latest shipment, you should ask the freight forwarder about the weight limit of the shipping company. If there is no confirmation and the goods are heavy goods, there will be risks. After some shipping companies are overweight, there will be no room for communication, and the consignor will directly drag the goods, leave the port, pick up the goods and then re-weight. These costs are not well controlled.
Port area limit
Mainly look at the mechanical equipment load of the dock and the yard.
After the container ship is docked, it usually needs the crane of the dock to carry out loading and unloading operations, and then it is towed to the container yard by truck and then hoisted by forklift. If the weight of the container exceeds the mechanical load, it will cause difficulties for the operation of the terminal and the yard. Therefore, for some small ports with relatively backward equipment, the shipping company will generally inform the port of the weight limit in advance, and the limit will not be exceeded.
Supporting feeder boat or highway weight limit
People who have done inland in the United States have a deep understanding. The road transport restrictions in the United States are very strict. Because many containers need to be transported to the inland by using the trucks after they are unloaded at the docks, the road weight limit also becomes a shipping company. The reason for limiting the weight of the container, of course, is that the terminal is not limited to this.
The weight of goods to the US line is very strict. The weight limit is mainly affected by the weight limit of the roads in the US inland areas. The general small cabinet is 17.3 tons, and the large high cabinet is 19.5 tons. However, depending on the port, there are different weight limits.
Route weight limit
For different routes, the shipping capacity of the ship is arranged according to the order of the cargo loading and unloading port and the type and heat of the goods. In addition, the load of the port equipment operation is different, and the weight limit of the different size tanks is naturally different.

What if I am overweight?
This is mainly overweight in the port area, the shipping company is overweight, and the destination port is overweight.
1. The shipping company is overweight
Discuss with the shipowner, pay the overweight fee, and the other will go as normal;
2. The port area has its own overweight
If you find that you are overweight when you enter Hong Kong, you need to negotiate with the port area, pay the overweight fee plus the artificial fee or reload the box;
3. The destination port is overweight
Generally, if the destination port is overweight, within a certain range, the penalty can be settled; if the overweight is serious, the crane cannot be loaded at the nearby port or can be returned in the same way.
New policy and impact
Beginning on July 1, 2016, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will implement the relevant requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) on the inspection of export container weights, which clearly requires that from the same day, the shipper (the owner) The total weight (VGM) will be reported for all export containers, and containers that do not have a verified total weight will not be shipped.
1. New regulations will improve shipping safety
The new regulations will improve shipping safety. False positive container weights have a serious impact on the stability of ships, trucks and terminal equipment and can pose a threat to workers' safety in the industry and even life-threatening. False positive weights seem to be a common phenomenon. When containers are weighed after an accident, the total results obtained are often different from the data on their cargo manifests. Long-term disputes over the issue have led to revisions to the SOLAS Convention to ensure accurate declaration of all container weights.
2. All containers should be weighed
The principles laid down in the new SOLAS Convention are simple. As of July 1, 2016, all containers must be weighed before they are loaded. Container weight can be determined in one of two ways. The container can be weighed after it has been loaded, or it can be used to weigh all of the contents of the container, and the weight can be combined with the container tare. Regardless of the method, subjective calculations are not allowed for its weight.
3. The entire supply chain will be affected
Active participation in all aspects of the container supply chain will be affected to some extent by this new regulation. Ship operators and terminal operators are required to apply the verified container weight to the stowage plan. In order for them to get information in a timely manner, the shipper will have to share the verification weight with the booking agent or freight forwarder. This obviously requires a new agreement on the procedure and a modification of the existing information technology (IT) system.
4. Provide accurate weight for shipper's responsibility
The shipper (or a third party under the responsibility of the shipper) is required to weigh the loaded container or all of its contents, depending on the method chosen. The weighing equipment used must meet national certification and calibration requirements. The SOLAS Amendment requires that the weight verification procedure be signed and that the specific person must be named and determined in accordance with the shipper's verified weight calculation accuracy procedure. The carrier can rely on this signature to verify the weight as an accurate weight.
5. The details of the application process may vary depending on the specific circumstances.
The total container verification weight must be reported in the signed shipping document. This document may be part of the shipping company's shipping instructions, or it may be a separate document, such as a declaration containing a weight certificate. In either case, the document should clearly state that the total weight provided is the total weight of the verification. The carrier will provide the shipper's relevant information deadline, during which the carrier must receive the required container verification weight from the shipper for the ship stowage plan. These deadlines may vary from carrier to carrier and may vary depending on operational procedures or requirements of different terminal operators and may vary from port to port. Containers that do not have a total weight of verification shall not be shipped.
Container itself is limited
Each container has a maximum weight limit on the open door, such as MAX GROSS: 30480KGS. This means that your box cannot be more than this weight. Tare--20GP: 2200KGS, 40: 3.720-4200KGS, and some HQs will have MAX GROSS: 32000KGS.
This is the maximum strength that the container box can withstand. If the loading exceeds this limit, the deformation of the box may occur, the bottom plate may fall off, the top beam may be bent, etc., and all losses arising therefrom will be borne by the loader. At present, most professional container terminals in China have installed automatic weighbridges. Therefore, as long as the container loading exceeds the weight limit of the box, the terminal will refuse to accept the container. Therefore, it is recommended that you check the weight limit on the container before packing to avoid unnecessary reloading.
If the goods are indeed overweight and cannot be split, then you can choose an overweight box. The increase will be the weight selection. The general terminal/yard will stack the common dry boxes of the shipping company. If you want to choose a special weighting cabinet (such as the 20 weighting cabinet mentioned above), the terminal and the yard must be one by one. Find, the resulting cabinet fee is generally the same as the designated counter fee.
Container transportation is a multi-sectoral collaborative process, so in addition to the weight limit of the container itself, there are other factors to consider.

Shipping company limit
Under normal circumstances, each shipping company's weight policy is different. The standard is not to damage the container as the standard.
In the balance of space and weight considerations. Each container ship has a certain space and weight limit, but on a particular route, the space and weight are not always well balanced. Contradictions often occur in North China where heavy cargo is concentrated. The weight of the ship has arrived, and the number of cabins is still much less. In order to make up for this loss of space, the shipping company often adopts a fare increase strategy, that is, the cargo weight exceeds the number of tons and additional freight charges are added. . There are also shipping companies that do not use their own ships, but to buy the shipping space of other shipping companies. The weight restrictions will be more stringent, because the shipping between the shipping companies is calculated according to the standard of 1TEU=14TONS or 16TONS. , the weight is not given to the ship.
During the explosion period, depending on the hotness of the route, the shipping company will reduce the weight limit of each box type accordingly.
When booking, at the latest shipment, you should ask the freight forwarder about the weight limit of the shipping company. If there is no confirmation and the goods are heavy goods, there will be risks. After some shipping companies are overweight, there will be no room for communication, and the consignor will directly drag the goods, leave the port, pick up the goods and then re-weight. These costs are not well controlled.
Port area limit
Mainly look at the mechanical equipment load of the dock and the yard.
After the container ship is docked, it usually needs the crane of the dock to carry out loading and unloading operations, and then it is towed to the container yard by truck and then hoisted by forklift. If the weight of the container exceeds the mechanical load, it will cause difficulties for the operation of the terminal and the yard. Therefore, for some small ports with relatively backward equipment, the shipping company will generally inform the port of the weight limit in advance, and the limit will not be exceeded.
Supporting feeder boat or highway weight limit
People who have done inland in the United States have a deep understanding. The road transport restrictions in the United States are very strict. Because many containers need to be transported to the inland by using the trucks after they are unloaded at the docks, the road weight limit also becomes a shipping company. The reason for limiting the weight of the container, of course, is that the terminal is not limited to this.
The weight of goods to the US line is very strict. The weight limit is mainly affected by the weight limit of the roads in the US inland areas. The general small cabinet is 17.3 tons, and the large high cabinet is 19.5 tons. However, depending on the port, there are different weight limits.
Route weight limit
For different routes, the shipping capacity of the ship is arranged according to the order of the cargo loading and unloading port and the type and heat of the goods. In addition, the load of the port equipment operation is different, and the weight limit of the different size tanks is naturally different.

What if I am overweight?
This is mainly overweight in the port area, the shipping company is overweight, and the destination port is overweight.
1. The shipping company is overweight
Discuss with the shipowner, pay the overweight fee, and the other will go as normal;
2. The port area has its own overweight
If you find that you are overweight when you enter Hong Kong, you need to negotiate with the port area, pay the overweight fee plus the artificial fee or reload the box;
3. The destination port is overweight
Generally, if the destination port is overweight, within a certain range, the penalty can be settled; if the overweight is serious, the crane cannot be loaded at the nearby port or can be returned in the same way.
New policy and impact
Beginning on July 1, 2016, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) will implement the relevant requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) on the inspection of export container weights, which clearly requires that from the same day, the shipper (the owner) The total weight (VGM) will be reported for all export containers, and containers that do not have a verified total weight will not be shipped.
1. New regulations will improve shipping safety
The new regulations will improve shipping safety. False positive container weights have a serious impact on the stability of ships, trucks and terminal equipment and can pose a threat to workers' safety in the industry and even life-threatening. False positive weights seem to be a common phenomenon. When containers are weighed after an accident, the total results obtained are often different from the data on their cargo manifests. Long-term disputes over the issue have led to revisions to the SOLAS Convention to ensure accurate declaration of all container weights.
2. All containers should be weighed
The principles laid down in the new SOLAS Convention are simple. As of July 1, 2016, all containers must be weighed before they are loaded. Container weight can be determined in one of two ways. The container can be weighed after it has been loaded, or it can be used to weigh all of the contents of the container, and the weight can be combined with the container tare. Regardless of the method, subjective calculations are not allowed for its weight.
3. The entire supply chain will be affected
Active participation in all aspects of the container supply chain will be affected to some extent by this new regulation. Ship operators and terminal operators are required to apply the verified container weight to the stowage plan. In order for them to get information in a timely manner, the shipper will have to share the verification weight with the booking agent or freight forwarder. This obviously requires a new agreement on the procedure and a modification of the existing information technology (IT) system.
4. Provide accurate weight for shipper's responsibility
The shipper (or a third party under the responsibility of the shipper) is required to weigh the loaded container or all of its contents, depending on the method chosen. The weighing equipment used must meet national certification and calibration requirements. The SOLAS Amendment requires that the weight verification procedure be signed and that the specific person must be named and determined in accordance with the shipper's verified weight calculation accuracy procedure. The carrier can rely on this signature to verify the weight as an accurate weight.
5. The details of the application process may vary depending on the specific circumstances.
The total container verification weight must be reported in the signed shipping document. This document may be part of the shipping company's shipping instructions, or it may be a separate document, such as a declaration containing a weight certificate. In either case, the document should clearly state that the total weight provided is the total weight of the verification. The carrier will provide the shipper's relevant information deadline, during which the carrier must receive the required container verification weight from the shipper for the ship stowage plan. These deadlines may vary from carrier to carrier and may vary depending on operational procedures or requirements of different terminal operators and may vary from port to port. Containers that do not have a total weight of verification shall not be shipped.