SOLAS VGM Auditors
VGM Method 1 Deadline: 1 July 2026
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ABC Kings is a SAMSA-accredited SOLAS VGM Method 1 & 2 auditor, assisting shippers, packhouses, and exporters across South Africa with achieving and maintaining their certification requirements for Verified Gross Mass (VGM) under the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations.
The SOLAS Convention, administered by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), requires that every packed container destined for ocean shipment must have a Verified Gross Mass (VGM) before it can be loaded onto a vessel. This requirement exists to protect people, assets, and cargo by ensuring vessel stability and safe load planning. Without a correct VGM, a container cannot be loaded onto a ship.
There are two approved methods for obtaining a VGM:
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Method 1: Weigh the fully packed and sealed container at a SAMSA certified facility using weighbridges, reach stackers or loadcell jacks.
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Method 2: Calculate the gross mass by adding together the verified weights of all cargo items (including packaging, pallets, dunnage, and securing materials) and the container’s tare weight.
Under Method 2, the shipper is responsible for determining and documenting the total mass of every component that contributes to the container’s verified weight. This method requires structured procedures and robust controls to ensure accuracy, legislative compliance, and audit readiness.
Why SOLAS VGM Compliance Matters
Misdeclared container weights can lead to serious safety risks — from incorrect vessel stowage plans to unstable loading patterns that endanger lives and equipment. The SOLAS amendments were introduced precisely to eliminate these risks by mandating verified container weights rather than estimates.
Without a verified VGM:
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Your container will not be accepted for loading by carriers or terminal operators.
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It may be held at the port pending verification.
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You may incur delays, additional costs, and disruptions to your supply chain.
Our SOLAS VGM Audit Service
At ABC Kings, we understand that many shippers and packhouses feel overwhelmed by the technical and procedural requirements of SOLAS VGM compliance — especially when you’re focused on your core operations. Our VGM auditing service is designed to make compliance straightforward, practical, and reliable.
Here’s how we help:
1. Process Review and Gap Analysis
We review your current packing and weighing processes to identify compliance gaps and help you implement procedural controls that align with SOLAS requirements.
2. Weighing & Weight Compilation Methodology
We assist in setting up or refining your internal process for gathering verified weights of cargo, packaging and securing materials, and ensure the correct application of container VGM.
3. Documentation and Reporting
Once all requirements are met, we prepare your Method 2 VGM submission — backed by technical notes and compliant documentation — ready for certification.
4. SAMSA Submission and Certification Support
Our reports are submitted to the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA) on your behalf. Once accepted, SAMSA issues the official certification that allows your containers to be loaded for sea transport under SOLAS regulations.
Making Compliance Manageable
We know that new legislative requirements can feel like “red tape,” especially when your team is already busy running core operations. Our approach is to make compliance as painless and efficient as possible — through clear guidance, structured support, and practical implementation strategies. We work with you to align your internal procedures so that SOLAS VGM compliance becomes part of your standard workflow, not an add-on burden.
If you’d like assistance with SOLAS VGM Method 1 or 2 certification — whether you’re a shipper, packhouse, or export operation — we’re ready to support you with expertise and a compliance-first mindset.
Let’s get you certified — contact us today.