MD-11
Dispatch Dispatcher
Situational Awareness
Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Weight And Balance
Human Factors; Procedure
While scanning [one of my flights]; I observed that the Weight & Balance exceeded the released payload by 237 lbs and the reported fuel was over by 200 lbs. The payload was capped on this leg due to the planned LGW. LGW was planned at 480534; less than 1000 lbs below max. The Ramp printed the Weight & Balance without contacting Dispatch as required. The Weight & Balance system prompts the Ramp Agent to contact Dispatch and acknowledge in the system that the action was performed before it will allow a calculation that exceeds a capped payload. A positive response is required by the preparing Ramp Agent to proceed. I detected that the Weight & Balance preliminary report was printed to the aircraft and that it exceed the allowed payload. When I detected the excess payload; I contacted the ramp to discuss the issue. I talked with a person who said they were not the ramp agent but was preparing the W&B. No name was given. I was concerned about exceeding the MLGW. The LGW was showing 480935 lbs. and the MLGW was 481500 lbs. At push; aircraft reported FOB 72400 lbs; 400 more than planned making the LGW 481122; 378 lbs from MLGW.This is a worldwide problem but especially prevalent throughout the Far East. I think there needs emphasis placed on the necessity to contact Dispatch immediately when prompted by the Weight & Balance system to do so.   I suggest that payload capping be eliminated in our system for uniformity and to lessen the possibility of misunderstandings between ramp agents and dispatchers. This would require the Ramps to contact Dispatch anytime it is necessary to exceed the release payload thus putting all parties in the loop and affording the possibility of an overweight problem and possible delay while freight is off-loaded or worse; an aircraft actually departs that exceeds a limitation.  It may be necessary to conduct additional training with the ramps to reinforce the procedures; how the failure to notify Dispatch is a violation of the Ramp operations; that is essentially a falsification of records and the importance of adhering to process to maintain safety of flight  within the system.
Dispatcher laments load planners at some foreign airports; not contacting the Dispatcher when the actual load exceeds the planned load. This leads to the possibility of exceeding maximum takeoff or landing weights.