If you need to ship your goods from China to the Philippines and other countries, there is a high probability that containers will be used for transportation. There is information on the maximum weight limit on the opening door of each container, which is the maximum strength that the container body can bear. If the loading exceeds this limit, the container body may be deformed, the bottom plate will fall off, and the top beam will be bent. All losses arising from this will be fully borne by the loader.

Therefore, before packing the goods shipped from China to the Philippines, it is necessary to understand the weight limit of the container to avoid potential safety hazards and unnecessary repacking operations. China Container transportation is a collaborative process involving multiple departments, so in addition to the weight limit of the container itself, there are some other factors to consider.

Shipping company weight limit

In general, the weight policy of each shipping company is different, and the approximate standard is not to use damaged containers as the standard.

In consideration of the balance between space and weight, each container ship has certain space and weight restrictions, but on a certain route, the space and weight are not always balanced, sometimes the ship’s weight has already reached, and the space is still available. Much less, in order to make up for this space loss, the shipping company often adopts a price increase strategy, that is, additional freight will be charged after the weight of the cargo exceeds a certain number of tons.

Port area weight limit

It mainly depends on the mechanical equipment load of the terminal and the yard.

After the container ship from China Shipping to the Philippines docks at the dock, if the weight of the container exceeds the mechanical load, it will cause difficulties in the operation of the dock and yard. Therefore, for some small ports with relatively backward equipment, the shipping company will generally inform the ship in advance. The weight limit of the port will not be accepted if it exceeds this limit.

Route weight limit

For different routes, the shipping capacity of the shipping company is arranged according to the order of cargo loading and unloading ports and the type and heat of cargo export. In addition to the load problem of equipment operation at the destination port, the weight limit of large and small containers on different routes is naturally different.

What should I do if the container is overweight?

This is mainly divided into overweight in the port area, overweight in the shipping company, and overweight in the destination port.

1. The shipping company is overweight

Discuss with the shipowner, pay the overweight fee, and proceed as normal;

2. The port area has its own overweight

If it is found to be overweight when entering the port, it is necessary to negotiate with the port area and pay the overweight fee plus manual handling fee or repackage;

3. The port of destination is overweight

Generally, if the destination port is overweight within a certain range, it can be settled by paying a fine; if the overweight is serious, the crane along the way cannot load and can only be transferred at a nearby port or return on the same route.

Policy and Impact

From July 1, 2016, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) implemented the relevant requirements of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS Convention) on the weight check of export containers. A Verified Gross Mass (VGM) will be declared for all export containers, and containers without a Verified Gross Mass will not be shipped.

The verified gross mass of the container must be declared on the signed shipping document. This document may be part of the shipping instructions to the shipping line, or it may be a separate document such as a declaration including a certificate of weight. In all cases, the documentation shall clearly state that the gross weight provided is the verified gross weight.

If the goods you plan to ship from China to the Philippines are really overweight and cannot be divided, you can choose overweight boxes. In order to arrange the transportation of China’s export goods more reasonably, you can consider Shenzhen Focus Global Logistics Co., Ltd. Our company has been deeply involved in the international logistics industry for more than 20 years, and has won the trust and recognition of our customers with professional and efficient logistics services and preferential and reasonable prices. The company has a good cooperative relationship with many well-known shipowners, first-hand shipping space and the advantage of safekeeping, please feel free to contact us—TEL: 0755-29303225, E-mail: info@view-scm.com, looking forward to your inquiries ask!