Weighing of containers has been a bone of contention for many years for many shipping lines and the arguments for and against continue..
Below is the latest article from Lloyds Loading List which raises the question..
“Where in the transport or supply chain should the export container be weighed and the actual weight ascertained”..??
What do the readers of this blog think about it..?? What is your consensus on where the box must be weighed..??
My personal view is that the shipper or their packing warehouse must weigh the box and issue a weight confirmation before the container is taken into the port.. That way, the shipper or their packing warehouse are confirming that they have weighed the box and they must be held liable in case of any misdeclaration..
This is especially important since the port equipment doesn’t seem to be capable of producing accurate weights when it is weighed as mentioned inthis postand this way there won’t be any delays at the port for the weighing..
There were discussions in this blog about thestruggle with the misdeclaration of container weightsand theconsequences of the misdeclaration of container weights..
Although the shippers have rejected calls for mandatory weighing of containers, I think ineveryone’sinterest, this is the best option as such misdeclarations could lead to loss of human life, loss of assets (ships, containers), loss of business which will prove costly to the various economies..
