Maersk will charge exporters €50 per container to arrange Verified Gross Mass (VGM) certification at the Port of Milazzo, with the service going live on 9 November 2026 and remaining in place until further notice.

The flat fee applies to all container equipment loaded at Milazzo and bound for worldwide destinations, and it will be payable at origin. Customers can use the service when they want Maersk — rather than their own arrangements — to handle VGM certification for eligible export boxes.

How will Maersk set the rate?

The carrier will fix the applicable €50 charge using different reference dates depending on the booking type:

• Non-SPOT, non-FMC shipments: the Price Calculation Date is the scheduled departure date of the first ocean leg stated when the booking is confirmed.
• FMC shipments: the Price Calculation Date corresponds to the last container gate-in date.
• SPOT bookings: the rate depends on the booking confirmation date, or the first vessel's estimated departure date stated in that confirmation.

Maersk warns that other local and contingency surcharges may also apply on top of the €50 fee.

What does this mean for shippers?

For exporters moving cargo through Milazzo, the offering removes the administrative burden of sourcing VGM verification themselves, but it adds a fixed €50 per-container cost to origin charges. Shippers who already weigh and certify containers through third-party providers or their own weighbridges can continue to do so and avoid the fee.

The pricing mechanics matter for budgeting. Because the charge is set at the Price Calculation Date rather than at shipment, non-SPOT customers lock in the rate when the booking is confirmed for non-FMC cargo, while FMC-governed shipments see the rate fixed only at final gate-in — a window in which applicable amounts could shift.

Forwarders booking on behalf of clients at the Sicilian port should build the €50 levy into quotations for all destinations, since the charge applies regardless of trade lane or equipment type.

The service takes effect on 9 November 2026 and stays available until Maersk issues further notice.