Verified gross mass

Verified gross mass (VGM) is the certified total weight of a packed container plus its tare, which the shipper must declare before the box can be loaded under SOLAS Chapter VI Regulation 2, in force since 1 July 2016. Two methods are allowed: Method 1 weighs the fully packed container; Method 2 sums the individual cargo, packaging, and dunnage weights and adds the tare stamped on the door. A container without a VGM may not be loaded. The rule followed stack collapses and stability incidents traced to misdeclared weights.