To ensure the safety of the vessel, crew, shore-based personnel and cargo, the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) of a packed container must be available before the container can be loaded on board. Accurate VGM information is essential for the safe preparation of the vessel’s stowage plan and the safe transport of containers by sea.

Under international SOLAS regulations, the shipper is responsible for ensuring that the VGM is accurately declared and submitted to Samskip by the applicable deadline.

If the VGM has not been received by the deadline, the container will not be loaded on board.

What is VGM?

VGM, or Verified Gross Mass, is the verified total weight of a packed container. It is the combined weight of:

  • the cargo

  • packaging materials and pallets

  • packing and securing materials

  • the container’s tare mass

VGM is therefore not only the cargo’s weight. It is the total weight of the container and everything packed inside it.

Who is responsible for VGM?

Under Chapter VI, Regulation 2 of the international SOLAS Convention, the shipper is responsible for ensuring that:

  • The VGM is determined using an approved method

  • The declared weight is accurate

  • The VGM is properly documented

  • The information is submitted by the applicable deadline

This responsibility remains with the shipper, regardless of whether the shipper carries out the packing and weighing or appoints another party to do so.

If incorrect or misleading VGM information provided by the shipper results in fines or other costs, these costs will be borne by the shipper in accordance with applicable regulations and Samskip’s terms and conditions of carriage.

How is VGM determined?

The SOLAS regulations permit two methods for determining VGM:

  • Method 1: Weighing the packed container
    The packed and sealed container is weighed using calibrated and certified weighing equipment.

  • Method 2: Calculating the combined weight of all items
    The weight of the cargo, packaging, pallets, and all packing and securing materials is added together. The container’s tare mass is then added to the total.
    This method must be certified and approved by the competent authority in the country where the container is packed and sealed.

How and when should VGM be submitted?

VGM information must be submitted in sufficient time for it to be used in preparing the vessel’s stowage plan.
Customers should register the VGM under the relevant booking in the Samskip customer portal.
The following submission deadlines apply to shipments loaded in Iceland:

  • Reykjavík, Arnarfell and Helgafell: By close of business on Tuesday.

  • Reykjavík, Skaftafell and Hoffell: By close of business on Friday.

  • Ísafjörður, Sauðárkrókur, Akureyri and Vestmannaeyjar: No later than 24 hours before the vessel’s scheduled departure from the relevant port of loading.


Please note that a container will not be loaded on board if the VGM has not been received by the applicable deadline.

Submission deadlines may change due to schedule changes or other operational circumstances. Customers are therefore encouraged to review the information provided with each booking.

Samskip weighing services

Samskip offers the following weighing services in Reykjavík:

  • FCL, full-container-load shipments:
    Customers may request the weighing of full containers loaded in Reykjavík. The charge is ISK 12.500 per container.

  • LCL, less-than-container-load shipments:
    All LCL cargo is weighed at Samskip’s cargo terminal in Reykjavík. The charge is ISK 2.500 per pallet.

Submitting accurate VGM information on time supports safe and efficient cargo handling and helps reduce the risk of delays and additional costs.