Dangerous Goods & Hazardous Cargo

Dangerous goods are materials that pose a risk to health, safety, property, or the environment in transport, grouped into nine UN classes covering explosives, gases, flammable liquids and solids, oxidisers, toxic and infectious substances, radioactive material, corrosives, and miscellaneous hazards. Many everyday products qualify — lithium batteries, aerosols, paints, perfumes, and some cleaning chemicals all commonly fall in scope.

You need a dangerous goods declaration identifying the UN number, proper shipping name, class, and packing group, plus a safety data sheet. Air shipments follow the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations and sea shipments the IMDG Code, and the two differ in what they permit. Packaging must be UN-certified and correctly marked and labelled, and the container or vehicle must be placarded.

Most rejections come from paperwork rather than the cargo — an incorrect UN number or shipping name, a missing or outdated safety data sheet, the wrong packing group, or labelling that does not match the declaration. Non-certified packaging and undeclared hazards are the other frequent causes. Because carriers check before loading, a rejection typically means missing the sailing entirely.

Yes, but they are regulated and the rules are strict, particularly by air. Requirements vary with whether the cells are shipped alone, packed with equipment, or installed in equipment, and with their watt-hour rating and state of charge. Undeclared lithium batteries are treated as a serious safety violation, so declare them and confirm the current requirements with your forwarder before booking.

Yes. Expect a dangerous goods surcharge, additional documentation fees, restricted stowage positions that limit available space, and sometimes a narrower choice of carriers and routes. Booking also takes longer because the declaration must be reviewed and accepted before the cargo can be loaded, so allow additional lead time.

The shipper. Classification, packing, marking, labelling, and declaration are all the shipper's legal responsibility, and that responsibility does not transfer to the forwarder or carrier even when they assist. Misdeclaration carries serious penalties and has caused major vessel fires, so where there is any doubt obtain a formal classification from the manufacturer or a qualified DG consultant.