DP WORLD LONDON GATEWAY VEHICLE BOOKING SYSTEM
The UK’s smart trade gateway, only 28 miles from London and at the heart of Europe’s biggest market. Located within the Thames Freeport, we give your business faster access, lower costs, and greater flexibility.
VEHICLE BOOKING
SYSTEM
The Vehicle Booking System (VBS) at DP World London Gateway enables registered hauliers to book and manage appointments to collect or deliver containers. The system is mandatory for all collections and deliveries.
You will also find on this page information about registering hauliers and drivers to access DP World London Gateway’s VBS and Driver ID system.
New to VBS? This page contains information to help you learn about and use the VBS. Review the page, and when you are ready to start,
see Agreement & Registration below.
Existing customers can continue to log in.
HOW TO USE
Watch our videos showing how the Vehicle Booking System (VBS) operates, or download our VBS User Guide.
AGREEMENT & REGISTRATION
To register for a VBS account, please download and complete the ‘Agreement to Access VBS’ form.
For an account to be formed, the below sections must be completed:
- Agreement to access VBS Premium
- Direct debit
Once completed, email it to [email protected].
Upon receiving these documents you will be contacted with
your login details within 48 hours (Monday-Friday)
(The new VBS Banded Tariff, due to be introduced in Quarter 4 2025, will supersede the Peak Booking, Late Cancellation Charge and Expiry charges below). For further details and Q&A, please view Landside Business Update and Annual Adjustment of Vehicle Booking System (VBS) Service Charges
1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 (extended to 31 December 2025). Bank holidays will be treated as normal weekdays, with peak times applicable to charges below
VBS charges
| ITEM | CHARGE - 1 September 2024 to 31 August 2025 (Extended to 31 December 2025) |
| Off-Peak Booking | Free |
| Peak Booking | £5.56 |
| On the Spot Manual VBS Appointment ■■ | £41.20 |
| VBS Late Cancellation Charge ♦ | £28.90 |
| VBS Expiry charge ● | £63.05 |
| VBS Expiry Charge - Reefer ● | £114.64 |
| Unauthorised Passenger in Cab | £150.78 |
| Requested Container Turns | £39.70 |
| Annual Terminal Awareness Course (3-year period) □ | Year 1: £50.00 / Year 2: £35.00 / Year 3: £35.00 |
| Replacement, Permanent or Temporary Driver ID Card ○ | £43.38 |
| Permanent Driver ID Card On-Line ꝰ | £28.65 |
| Vehicle Euro 3/4/5 Emission Charge ⌂ | £51.50 |
| Electric HGV Credit ͌ | Credit £20.00 |
| Terminal Damage Administration Fee (per instance) | £286.60 |
Appendix for the above
On the Spot Manual VBS Booking Request - considered on a case by case basis
◊ VBS Late Cancellation / Late Amendment Charge is incurred if booking is cancelled within 60 mins prior to the booking slot
● VBS Expiry Charge is incurred if no vehicle arrives within the VBS booking time
○ Charge for Replacement, Permanent or Temporary (valid for 24 Hours) Driver ID Card
ꝰ Charge for Permanent Driver ID Card application on-line
⌂ Charge for high emission vehicles (Euro 3/4/5)
͌ Electric HGV Credit - haulage company who made VBS bookings will receive rebate
▫ Annual Terminal Awareness Course - Drivers to undertake with multiple choice test - 3-year period, on 4th year the 3-year period will recommence with a higher charge for year 1 to allow for new functionality enhancements.
Vehicle Booking System FAQs
What do I do about un-containerised or oversized cargo or direct deliveries?
Uncontainerised cargo
DP World London Gateway will not be providing a VGM for un-containerised cargo which should be provided with an accurate gross weight in order for a lifting plan to be produced.
Out-of-gauge/oversized cargo
DP World London Gateway’s Project Cargo Team will provide a VGM for out-of-gauge cargo loaded on ISO flat-racks at London Gateway using its weighbridge unless the cargo weight exceeds 30 tonnes. If cargo weight exceeds 30 tonnes, then a shipper VGM must be applied.
Direct deliveries
DP World London Gateway will not be providing the VGM for direct deliveries to vessel as they will be lifted from truck direct to vessel by quay crane, such cargo should be weighed elsewhere. Only Option 1 should be selected and will apply to all direct deliveries.
I already have a VGM
If the VGM of a container has to be obtained from the shipping line or shipper, it helps the efficiency of the terminal if this information is available at or before the time of in-gate. We will however, allow provision of the VGM after arrival at the terminal, up to 24 hours before expected arrival of the vessel. Later receipt of the VGM will mean additional administration for the terminal and the shipping line will lack an accurate weight overview of its booking situation.
Refer to our current tariff for the additional charge applicable if no VGM has been received 24 hours before the expected arrival of the vessel.
The charge covers:
- Registration with CNS Compass and access to the new VGM functionality of CNS Compass. You can register with CNS Compass here https://www.cnsonline.co.uk/home/#/
- Option to ‘claim’ your export containers and provide your VGM for each container directly to the terminal, if not done through the shipping line.
- Processing of all VGM data to the relevant parties, including the shipping line.
- Changes to our IT systems to prevent containers without VGM from being loaded on board.
- Regular checks and VGM reporting as requested by the MCA.
- Even if the terminal does not provide a direct weighing service for shippers, we have to invest to ensure compliance with the new SOLAS regulations, and this charge is intended to recover this investment and the recurring costs.
How will you weigh the containers? Will this be certified?
DP World London Gateway has equipped our Automated Stacking Cranes with specialist weighing equipment, which is being certified to meet the required standards with a suitable maintenance programme to ensure we are fully compliant. In addition, a fully certified weighbridge will be available for containers (except Direct Delivery) that are not able to be handled by our Automated Stacking Cranes.
When will the weighing process take place and how long will it take?
The weighing process is integrated within our normal operations and will not impact on our road/rail operations at either DP World London Gateway or DP World Southampton.
You have not informed us that you require a VGM 24 hours before the vessel arrival
If containers are still without VGM 24 hours before the vessel arrival, the TVGM will be assigned to those containers. This means that latest 24 hours before arrival, the shipping lines will have an accurate overview of all individual weights of the containers which have arrived at the terminal to safely plan the stability of the vessels.
You require a VGM for containers arriving after the 24 hour vessel arrival cut-off
Please refer to our tariff VGM after gate to see the additional costs that will be charged.
Will this be operational 24/7?
Please refer to the normal landside operational hours for each terminal.
At DP World London Gateway, landside operations receive export containers from Sunday 1800 to Saturday 1800, and Sunday 0600 to Sunday 1400, our cranes will be available to weigh containers throughout that period.
Will this be a public service?
No, this will only be applicable to laden export containers being loaded on board of vessels at DP World London Gateway and DP World London Southampton
Who will you be charging?
DP World London Gateway or DP World Southampton will charge the party who either provided the VGM via CNS; or if DP World London Gateway or DP World Southampton have been asked to provide a VGM then the charges will be passed to either shipper, freight-forwarder, agent or shipping line based on the details attached to that booking. (See How will you bill me?)
What happens if there is a discrepancy with the provided weight?
In the event that a shipper, freight-forwarder, agent or shipping line provides a VGM and there is a difference of more than 500 kg or 5%, with the weight reading taken by DP World London Gateway or DP World Southampton equipment, then the Terminal determined Verified Gross Mass (TVGM) will be used and a misdeclaration fee as per our tariff will be applied on top of our normal weighing fee, for providing inaccurate information. (See How will you bill me? - Pricing exceptions)
What documentation will be required to receive containers at the port? Do you know how you want the weights communicated to you if containers are weighed externally?
A shipper, freight-forwarder, agent or shipping line will be given access to our Community System (shared by DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton), which provides the user with a solution to enter the information electronically. We will not be able to accept paper certificates at our gates. Please liaise with your shipping line or forwarder to determine what situation will apply to you.
Will DP World have this facility at any other ports in Europe or its global portfolio?
All DP World managed ports in Europe will either be able to provide the VGM service. Please contact the customer service department of the relevant DP World managed container terminal.
I don’t have access to the Community System? What will that cost?
Agents and Freight Forwarders with an existing badge code for CNS Compass will be able to access the VGM functionality in CNS Compass. Shippers who want to use the functionality for the verified gross mass need a one-time registration with CNS Compass to have access to this functionality. The costs are covered by the weighing fees mentioned in this document.
When did container weighing become mandatory requirement under Maritime Law?
DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton introduced our container weighing solution on 1st July 2016.
Is there a hard copy certificate?
All VGM certification will be provided electronically via CNS and it will be possible run a report in CNS.
Will my container be allowed onto the terminal without a VGM?
Yes. However the Terminal determined Verified Gross Mass will be used if we haven't received your VGM 24 hours before the vessel arrival. (How will it work?)
How will I be told if I have a VGM or it is correct?
We will not confirm if your VGM is correct. Only if the terminal identifies that a VGM provided differs by more than 500 kg or 5% from the terminal provided VGM will this be communicated via CNS and the misdeclaration fee applied.
Will you be changing any of your operational procedures or cut off times to allow for the additional weighing and to accommodate SOLAS?
No. The container weighing solution is fully integrated with normal operational procedures. All containers are weighed on arrival at the terminals so additional weighing should not be deemed necessary. Unless the cargo is oversized, see question 1 above.
Are there any containers the ports will not be able to provide a VGM for?
DP World London Gateway and DP World Southampton will not be able to provide a VGM for any containers which are designated Direct Delivery.
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