Shipping containers now have to conform to international weight verification regulations in an attempt to prevent vessel accidents. From July 1, cargo container forwarders will be subjected to stringent gross mass verification administered by the SA Maritime Safety Authority, following previous non-compliance by some shippers.The misdeclaration of the weights of containers has resulted in vessels tipping. This was a threat to the lives of the crew and caused damage to lifting equipment and the ships.Experts in the shipping industry met in Durban yesterday to iron out some of the concerns arising from the amendment, which was vetted by the International Maritime Organisation.Zeph Ndlovu, president of the Durban Chamber of Commerce and Industry, who is also Transnet's general manager of operations in KwaZulu-Natal, said a number of accidents had taken place in international waters, and South Africa, as a member to the International Maritime Organisation, had a duty to ensure safety."We want to lend a hand in making sure that the global trade that we conduct through South Africa is beyond reproach as far as safety risks are concerned."We had to have this discussion and make sure that members are sensitive about operational readiness before the implementation date, July 1."He said the amendment will apply to all export containers manufactured in South Africa.Packing houses, shippers and road hauliers will also have to comply with the regulations.Ndlovu said most shippers have been adhering to the weight laws, but between 5% and 10% were non-compliant.Sash Naidoo, of Durban South Cold Storage, said the amendment had considerable cost implications for his company. Naidoo, whose company packs citrus fruit for export, said he had had to install a weigh bridge at a cost of about R1-million.Durban has only two public weigh bridges; the rest are privately owned.Naidoo said verifying cargo weight will be time-consuming and will require companies to hire more people."The time delay in loading a container has to be planned better."It used to take 20 minutes to load one container, but now [it's] about 40 minutes," he said.According to the national maritime authority, failure to comply with the regulations could result in a sentence of up to a year in jail...