NOW that the US Coast Guard has declared that the scales at the Port of Savannah meet a new UN's Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) Convention requirements, the Georgia Port Authority (GPA) says it will weigh all export containers free of charge.

"We would like to commend the US Coast Guard for bringing clarity to the SOLAS issue," said Griff Lynch, incoming executive director at Georgia Ports Authority.

"In conjunction with the International Longshoremen's Association, the GPA currently weighs all loaded export containers, and will continue to do so at no cost to the customer."

An amendment to the international SOLAS Convention, effective July 1, called for shippers to either weigh loaded containers or weigh empty containers and cargo separately, and provide a verified gross mass total to shipping lines.

A Coast Guard bulletin issued April 28 explained that the current practice of weighing containers at terminal gates delivers equivalent data.

The Port of Savannah's Garden City Terminal, the largest single container terminal in the US, features four gates with 48 interchange lanes and two on-dock rail facilities.

In compliance with the Code of Federal Regulations, the GPA weighs all export containers arriving via truck and intermodal rail.

"The coast guard announcement allows for a clear path forward and ensures that our customers will continue to receive the best service at the most economical prices," said Mr Lynch.

"With new growth and expansion opportunities ahead, this is an exciting time for Georgia's ports and our customers."