In keeping with ocean cargo industry trend, NYK Line is the latest to implement the INTTRA eVGM Service.
As reported in LM, INTTRA’s solution facilitates compliance for carriers and their shippers with the International Maritime Organization’s Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Verified Gross Mass (VGM) amendment. As adopted, the amendment requires all containers to have a VGM - or certified weight - in order to be loaded onto a ship.
The INTTRA eVGM Service provides the operational capabilities for digital submission, receipt, processing and auditing of SOLAS-compliant VGMs for shippers and carriers. NYK customers using INTTRA e-commerce solutions will be able to submit VGM information through a variety of channels, including EDI, XML, the web, mobile devices and e-mail.
“Differentiation through technology is central to the strategy of our company, and INTTRA is a key technology partner,” said Lincoln Leung, Head of Global Business Process Management at NYK Line. “The flexibility of the INTTRA eVGM solution enhances our range of customer solutions relating to SOLAS VGM, and we will benefit from the efficiencies of standardization.”
Andrea Morriera, international logistics manager for Orchard Supply Hardware, told LM in an interview that despite many concerns, the implementation of the SOLAS VGM amendment seems to have been implemented without too many disruptions in service.
“The implementation of VGM amendment was efficient because all affected parties worked together with the same initiative to minimize the disruption of the global supply chain,” she said. “Also, this is a good example of the adaptability of the maritime industry to pressures from external parties.”
INTTRA recently announced a similar arrangement with Zim Integrated Shipping Services and Hapag-Lloyd.