Glossary / Verified Gross Mass (VGM)
Verified Gross Mass (VGM) — explained
Verified Gross Mass (VGM) is the verified total weight of a loaded container to be carried by sea, including its cargo; under the SOLAS Convention, no loaded container may be put on board a ship without this information.
The VGM requirement rests on Regulation 2 of Chapter VI of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS), which entered into force on 1 July 2016; in Türkiye it is implemented through a directive issued by the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. The weight is established by one of two methods: weighing the loaded container directly (Method 1), or adding up separately the weight of the cargo, the packing materials and the container's own tare weight (Method 2). The obligation to declare rests not with the carrier, but with the shipper.
VGM is the total weight including the container's own tare weight; for this reason, it is not expected to be exactly the same figure as the gross weight on the customs declaration — what needs to be checked is whether the weight of the cargo itself conflicts with what has been declared.
The measurement can be made by either of two methods: weighing the loaded container directly on a calibrated scale, or adding together the weight of every item inside, the packing/securing materials and the container's tare weight. The result is communicated to the carrier and the terminal before the container is handed over to the terminal/ship, either on the transport document or in a separate notification.
When You Encounter It
In a container shipment by sea, the VGM declaration is required after the loading plan has been completed but before the container is handed over to the terminal; without the declaration, the terminal will not accept the container.
The party obliged to submit the declaration is not the carrier or the agent, but the shipper (the exporter, or the freight forwarder/customs broker acting on the exporter's behalf); the weighbridge ticket or calculation record is kept as the basis for the declaration.
If the check-weighing at the terminal shows a deviation from the declared VGM beyond the tolerance set out in SOLAS, loading the container onto the ship may be delayed or refused — this is a process gate belonging to the carriage side, independent of the status of the customs declaration.
For loads of irregular geometry, such as marble blocks, we explain why the VGM comes out differently from the gross weight on the declaration, and the details specific to block weighing, on our marble export sector page. The same requirement applies to the export of blocks and dimension stone; see the details on our natural stone export sector page.
What It Doesn't Cover
- VGM is not a customs authority document or declaration; it should not be confused with the gross weight on the customs declaration — the two are produced for different purposes, by different parties, and generally arrive at different figures. VGM is submitted to the carrier and the terminal, not to the customs authority.
Often Confused With
| Comparison | Difference |
|---|---|
| Verified Gross Mass (VGM) vs Gross Weight on the Customs Declaration | The gross weight on the declaration is the weight of the goods together with their packaging, declared for customs duty and statistical purposes. VGM, by contrast, is a separate figure that includes the container's own tare weight and is required solely for ship-loading safety in maritime transport; the two are not expected to produce the same number. |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Verified Gross Mass (VGM)?+
VGM is the verified total weight, including the container's own tare weight, of a loaded container to be carried by sea. Under Regulation 2 of Chapter VI of the SOLAS Convention, a loaded container is not put on board a ship until this information has been communicated to the carrier.
How is VGM calculated?+
By one of two methods: weighing the loaded container directly on a calibrated scale (Method 1), or adding together the weight of the cargo and the packing/securing materials with the container's tare weight (Method 2). Which method may be used is determined by the applicable legislation and the suitability of the weighing equipment.
Who is obliged to submit the VGM declaration?+
The obligation to declare rests not with the carrier or the agent, but with the shipper — generally the exporter, or the freight forwarder/customs broker acting on the exporter's behalf. Without the declaration, the terminal will not accept the container; the weighbridge ticket or calculation record is kept as the basis for the declaration.
Which directive does VGM rest on?+
The international basis is Regulation 2 of Chapter VI of the SOLAS Convention, which entered into force on 1 July 2016. In Türkiye, this rule is implemented through the General Directorate of Maritime Affairs of the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure's "Directive on the Determination and Notification of the Gross Weights of Loaded Containers Carried by Sea".
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Related Terms
Where This Term Comes Up in Our Work
Verified Gross Mass (VGM) is one of the documents we track in our logistics and transportation service.
Logistics and TransportationContracted warehouses, container loading, and inland transport organisation.The Turkish original of this page was reviewed by our licensed customs broker. This translation is provided for information; the Turkish version prevails.
Source
T.C. Ulaştırma ve Altyapı Bakanlığı Denizcilik Genel Müdürlüğü (Republic of Türkiye Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, General Directorate of Maritime Affairs) — Directive on the Determination and Notification of the Gross Weights of Loaded Containers Carried by Sea — The official directive transposing the provisions of Regulation 2, Chapter VI of the SOLAS Convention into Turkish practice.
Last updated: September 27, 2026