Industry panel to discuss IMO rule on container weight verification

The Association of Women in International Trade will host a webcast event next week to educate the shipping public about new International Maritime Organization regulations requiring carriers to share information about the weight of loaded containers.    One of the big regulatory challenges for the transportation sector in 2016 is the international requirement that shippers verify the weight of containers they stuff with goods and submit the information to ocean carriers prior to vessel loading.
   The International Maritime Organization rules are designed to increase safety at sea so carriers can properly balance ships and on land so that longshoremen and truckers aren’t confronted with an overweight container that might tip over or drop.
   In an effort to educate the industry about the upcoming changes, the Association of Women in International Trade is hosting a discussion on Jan. 14 in Washington with top officials from the World Shipping Council and the National Industrial Transportation League. The event will also be webcast by the Organization of Women in International Trade.