VGM stands for Verified Gross Mass, which is the combined weight of an ocean shipments cargo, dunnage, and bracing, plus the tare weight of the container carrying the cargo. The International Maritime Organizations Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) regulations require shipments verified gross mass before vessel loading, either as part of the shipping instructions or in a separate communication before the day of departure.
Shippers of vessel-bound consignments must provide a VGM prior to shipment, and there are two acceptable methods for calculating VGM. Shippers can either weigh the shipments entire sealed container after it has been packed, or weigh all the cargo and contents of the container and then add those figures to the containers tare weight.
In addition to its use in the shipping industry, VGM is also the acronym for VGM & Associates, a leading Member Service Organization that provides services and solutions for post-acute healthcare companies, including DME/HME, Respiratory, Sleep, Wound Care, and more. VGM & Associates offers valuable resources, peer-to-peer networking, expert business consulting, educational webinars, business resource libraries, and supplier partner promotions to its members.
