Kiwi Innovation Set to Solve New Global Shipping Challenges

May 7th, 2015

Kiwi Innovation Set to Solve New Global Shipping Challenges

Kiwi tech-company BISON has recently launched a container weighing device that is poised to go global on the back of major changes to international shipping rules.

From 2016, exporters around the world will be forced to verify the weight of every container they ship. Seeing this rule change coming and noticing a lack of useful container weighing solutions in the market, BISON founders – Mark and Greg Fahey – have developed a world first portable container weighing scale.

“You would be alarmed to discover how many containers pass over land and sea with misdeclared weights.” Managing Director, Greg Fahey says. “Currently the system relies on shippers declaring the weight of the container, but no one is checking their declarations and it’s estimated that around a third of the 130 million containers shipped each year have inaccurate weights. That is leading to accidents, equipment breakages, dangerous vessel loading and environmental hazards worldwide. It'quite literally a global health and safety issue.”

Recognizing these risks, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) has amended the Convention for Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to make it mandatory for shippers to accurately verify the weight of all export containers using certified equipment. Shippers must then communicate the weight in a timely way to the shipping line. Without a verified weight, the container is not permitted aboard a vessel. The amendment takes effect from 1 July 2016.

“The new rules are a positive development for safety in the supply chain” said Greg Fahey, “But they present a new compliance obligation for shippers. Their challenge will be – how do we verify container weights, accurately and efficiently? We see Weighing Jacks as a useful solution for many operators”.

Targeted at exporters, consolidators and stevedores loading grounded containers, BISON Weighing Jacks are four small scales that attach to each corner of the container, lift it slightly off the ground and weigh the container to within +/-25 kg. The Weighing Jacks sync with a smartphone App and cloud database, enabling the weight and other shipping data to be stored, printed and sent automatically through the logistics chain.

In addition to weighing the container, the jacks confirm the weight distribution within the container. “This is valuable information.” says Technical Director, Mark Fahey. “It’s not only misdeclared weights that are a hazard for the shipping industry. Unbalanced loads are a major problem too. Being able to check both the weight and load distribution at the packing point gives company management assurance that they are meeting their chain of responsibility commitments.”

While the BISON team is positioning the company to capitalize on next year’s rule change, the jacks are being marketed already as a useful tool for optimizing shipments, avoiding overweight containers and eliminating the cost of weighing individual cargo items or diverting laden containers to a weighbridge. Since launching the Weighing Jacks in late-April, the BISON team have secured orders from local freight forwarders and received enquiries from interested customers and distributors from around the world, including India, the United Kingdom, Iceland, Brazil and South Africa.

“When you think about what has driven globalization over the years, you immediately think of the internet.” says Greg Fahey. “The humble shipping container is often overlooked. But these simple steel boxes have transformed global trade, to the point where you’ll find them in practically every country around the world. What we've got is an innovative solution for a mandated global market. It's a great recipe, we believe for an aspiring Kiwi tech company”.

To see a video of the Weighing Jacks in action and for more information visit:

http://www.bison-jacks.com/

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