From 1 June, Port of Aalborg will offer free weighing of export containers at Aalborg Container Terminal. The initiative will make it easier for exporters to comply with the SOLAS Convention, which requires consignors to determine the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of packed containers.
Port of Aalborg took over the operation of Aalborg Container Terminal from the turn of the year and have ever-since been in close dialogue with the local business community about strengthening the setup for container traffic in and out of North Jutland.
As a result, Port of Aalborg has decided to eliminate export-related costs associated with the so-called VGM weighing that ensures compliance with the rules of the SOLAS Convention, which became effective in 2016.
The weighing will be free of charge from 1 June to the end of 2023. If the offer proves to be an attractive solution for exporters it will be made permanent, says Senior Commercial Manager at Port of Aalborg, Rasmus Munk Kolind:
– After being managed on the terms of the Greenlandic traffic for almost 50 years, the container terminal in Aalborg is now primarily operated with an ambition of creating good conditions for private exporters, importers and freight forwarders. We believe that this initiative can help make container traffic via Aalborg even more attractive, says Rasmus Munk Kolind and continues:
– This new will benefit customers who already use our scale, while exporters that currently determine VGM with calculations will have a strengthened incentive to change methods, achieving increased assurance that the calculated weight actually matches the real weight of the container when it arrives at the terminal.
If the difference between the stated weight and the actual weight is too big, the container will be rejected by the ship.
– Inconsistency is expensive and results in delays. Therefore, we believe that this decision, together with many of our other initiatives, can help attract new customers to Aalborg Container Terminal, argues Rasmus Munk Kolind.
Fact: How VGM weighing works at Aalborg Container Terminal
Exporters must register in the IT system PICit and digitally order the weighing. Once this is done, the selected shipping company is automatically informed about the weight of the container, while the ordering part will receive an email with the weight of the container.
Aalborg Container Terminal has offered VGM weighing for containers arriving at the terminal while serving both Royal Arctic Line and Port of Aalborg – but not without charge. In 2022, weighing cost DKK 150 per container.
