Tare Weight
F5. The Reference Layer: Glossary, Units, Signals and Information SourcesDefinition
Weight of an empty container or vessel.
Tare weight is the mass of an empty container, marked on the door alongside the maximum gross and payload. A standard 20-foot dry box tares about 2,200 to 2,400 kg; a 40-foot high-cube about 3,700 to 4,000 kg. Gross mass minus tare gives the net cargo (payload) inside. Under SOLAS Chapter VI Reg.2, the verified gross mass (VGM) declared before loading is the cargo plus the tare, and a wrong tare assumption is a common source of VGM error and stack-weight miscalculation.