What a VGM declaration is
Under SOLAS Chapter VI, Regulation 2, a packed container cannot be loaded onto a vessel unless the shipper has declared its Verified Gross Mass to the carrier and the terminal. The rule has been in force worldwide since 1 July 2016, and it is not advisory: no VGM, no load. It applies to containerised sea freight — not to air, and not to break-bulk.
The VGM is the total weight of the packed container — the cargo, all packaging and dunnage, and the container's own tare weight. It is not the cargo weight, and it is not the figure on your packing list. Confusing the two is the single most common reason a declaration gets rejected.
The shipper named on the bill of lading is legally responsible for the figure, and the declaration must be signed by a person the shipper has authorised. Under EXW or FCA that shipper is often your buyer or their forwarder, not you — the VGM duty follows the bill of lading, not the sale. Put the party named as Shipper on the B/L in Section 1, and have their authorised person sign. That is why this document exists as a signed paper record and not merely a number in an email.
Method 1 vs Method 2
Method 1 is weighing the packed, sealed container on calibrated equipment — a weighbridge. One number, one weighing, done after packing. It is the simpler route and the one terminals query least.
Method 2 is calculating: weigh every item, every pallet, all packaging and dunnage, then add the container's tare weight from the door plate. It requires a documented procedure, and some jurisdictions require that procedure to be certified. Method 2 is what you use when you cannot get a packed container onto a weighbridge.
Whichever you use, the equipment must meet national calibration standards. If you declare Method 1, add the weighbridge and its calibration certificate in the weighing-equipment section — the generator then prints both on the declaration. If you declare Method 2, put the number of the packing list that holds your itemised mass breakdown in the declaration details; the declaration names it so the carrier and port-state can locate the schedule.
What gets your VGM rejected
Declaring cargo weight instead of gross weight. The tare is typically 2,200–4,000 kg for a dry box; omitting it understates the container by more than most tolerances allow.
Missing the carrier's cut-off. VGM cut-offs usually fall 12–36 hours before vessel ETA and are earlier than the documentation cut-off. A correct VGM that arrives late is a rolled container.
A container number that does not match the booking. The terminal matches on the container number, not your reference.
No named signatory. An unsigned declaration is not a declaration — SOLAS requires a person duly authorised by the shipper to sign it, which is why this form asks for that name before anything else it can leave blank.
How to submit it
This generator produces the signed declaration you keep and send. Submission itself goes to the carrier — most accept the signed form by email or through their portal, and larger shippers file a VERMAS EDI message instead.
Check your carrier's specific channel and cut-off before you sail. Tawrida does not submit on your behalf, and no ERP does: the VGM is filed with the carrier or terminal, not with a software vendor.
Common questions
Is this VGM generator really free?
Yes — free, and there is no account to create. Fill the form, watch the declaration build as you type, and we email you the PDF. We ask for an email address only because that is how the document reaches you.
Does Tawrida submit the VGM to my carrier?
No. The VGM is declared to the carrier or terminal — by email, their portal, or a VERMAS EDI message. No software vendor files it for you. This tool produces the signed declaration; you send it through your carrier's channel before their cut-off.
What is the difference between VGM and cargo weight?
VGM is the whole packed container: cargo, packaging, dunnage and the container's tare weight. Cargo weight is only what is inside. The declaration prints the payload — cargo plus packaging plus dunnage, i.e. VGM minus tare — which is still not the bare cargo figure on your packing list. Declaring cargo weight as VGM understates the container by the tare, typically 2,200–4,000 kg, and is the most common reason declarations are rejected.
Do you store the data I type?
We keep your submission so we can generate and email the document, and we delete it on a fixed retention schedule. The live preview stores nothing at all — it runs before we ask you for anything. See our privacy policy for the detail.
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