Sortavala Timber Mill received a VGM Recognition Certificate in December 2023

Container shipments often include a sea leg. In such cases, containers are delivered to the port either by rail or, as in our operations, by road along the route from Rautakangas, Sortavala, to the Port of St Petersburg.

One of the mandatory requirements for maritime container transport is confirmation of the Verified Gross Mass (VGM), which certifies the actual gross mass of a packed container.

Verification became mandatory for maritime container transport on 1 July 2016, when amendments to the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) entered into force.

The purpose of VGM verification is to provide an officially confirmed gross mass of the packed container. This information is required for correct vessel stowage planning and helps prevent accidents during transportation.

In December 2023, Sortavala Timber Mill successfully completed an audit by the Russian Maritime Register of Shipping and received a Recognition Certificate (VGM RC).

The certificate confirms the company’s competence to independently verify the gross mass of packed containers in accordance with IMO Resolution MSC.380(94). The mill has all the modern weighing equipment required for this purpose.

Recognition Certificate No. 23.47.01.12328.120 is valid from 22 December 2023 to 22 December 2026.