BISON Group Limited (New Zealand) - New Zealand tech-company BISON announced that its portable C-Jacks and C-Legs have just received OIML certification and type approval in Europe. These latest certifications mean shippers can now use BISON container weighing scales for SOLAS VGM compliance across Europe. The OIML certification is internationally recognised and also makes the scales eligible for SOLAS VGM compliance in OIML's 126 member countries.

In July 2016, amendments to the SOLAS (Safety of Life at Sea) convention made it mandatory for shippers globally to verify the gross mass of export containers, using calibrated and certified weighing equipment. Without a VGM (verified gross mass), shipping containers cannot legally be loaded on a vessel. While the shipping industry has largely accepted the rule change, a major challenge for individual shippers has been a lack of certified weighing equipment available to fully comply with the rule.

BISON has addressed this, with its novel range of portable container scales having undergone a rigorous examination process at NMi Certin’s laboratory in the Netherlands, to test compliance with the OIML standard. The scales have successfully passed as a Class IIII weighing instrument. The scales are now certified in accordance with OIML R76:2006 and the requirements for non-automatic weighing instruments of EC Directive 2014/31/EU.

“When we started developing portable container scales back in 2014, it was always our ultimate goal to achieve these marks of excellence for the product.” says BISON CTO, Dr. Mark Fahey.

"With the SOLAS VGM rules requiring shippers to use calibrated and certified equipment to verify container weights, these certifications mean that shippers can rely on BISON container scales as a simple, efficient and fully compliant solution for weighing containers.”

With increasing regulation and scrutiny of container weights throughout the logistics chain, BISON says that certified equipment is essential for shippers managing VGM compliance and container weight optimization in their operations.