Dangerous Goods

Dangerous goods, know the rules before you ship

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Dangerous goods shipments are governed by strict rules under the IMDG Code, the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and 49 CFR. Tell us about your shipment, and we’ll discuss what it requires.

Overview

Regulated freight needs a regulated process

Dangerous goods freight sits under some of the strictest rulebooks in logistics: the IMDG Code for ocean transport, the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for air, and 49 CFR for ground transport within the United States. These frameworks exist because a misclassified or poorly packaged hazardous shipment isn’t just a compliance problem, it’s a safety one, for the crew, the carrier, and anyone handling the freight downstream.

Before a dangerous goods shipment can move, a shipper needs to establish the hazard class and packing group from the safety data sheet, prepare a shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods, and confirm that packaging, marking, and placarding meet the rules for the mode of transport involved. Not every carrier accepts every class of dangerous goods, so confirming that match early avoids delays later in the process.

If your shipment includes anything from lithium batteries to flammable liquids to corrosive chemicals, contact our team with the details. We’ll tell you what your shipment will need.

Tanker truck on a highway displaying a hazardous materials placard for class 8 corrosive cargo
“Ferric chloride Tanker” by Epolk, via Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Classification comes first

Every dangerous goods shipment starts with confirming hazard class and packing group from the safety data sheet. Getting this step right before booking avoids a rejected shipment later in the process.

Documentation is mode-specific

A shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods and supporting paperwork are required for the mode of transport. Requirements differ meaningfully between ocean, air, and ground movement.

Not every carrier accepts every class

Carriers vary in which hazard classes they’ll accept and on which routes. Confirming that match before booking avoids delays after a shipment is already ready to move.

Packaging and labeling are checked at pickup

Packaging, marking, and placarding need to meet the applicable regulation before a shipment moves. A missing placard or an incorrect UN number is a common reason a shipment gets held.

What a dangerous goods shipment involves

How it works

Step 1

Cargo and SDS review

The safety data sheet and shipment details establish what’s being shipped and which rules apply.

Step 2

Classification and documentation

Hazard class and packing group are confirmed, and the shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods and other required paperwork are prepared.

Step 3

Carrier and routing match

The shipment is matched to a carrier and route that accepts its specific hazard class and mode.

Step 4

Packaging and labeling check

Packaging, marking, and placarding are checked against the applicable regulation before pickup.

Step 5

Transport and compliance monitoring

The shipment moves with its required documentation, and any question from a carrier or authority in transit is addressed as it comes up.

Reference

The nine dangerous goods hazard classes

ClassDescriptionExamples
1ExplosivesFireworks, ammunition
2GasesCompressed, liquefied, or dissolved gases
3Flammable liquidsGasoline, certain paints and solvents
4Flammable solidsMatches, materials liable to spontaneous combustion
5Oxidizers and organic peroxidesHydrogen peroxide, ammonium nitrate fertilizers
6Toxic and infectious substancesCertain pesticides, biological or medical waste
7Radioactive materialMedical or industrial radioactive isotopes
8Corrosive substancesSulfuric acid, sodium hydroxide
9Miscellaneous dangerous goodsLithium batteries, dry ice, asbestos

This reflects the standard nine-class system used across IMDG, IATA DGR, and 49 CFR frameworks. It is general reference information, not a classification determination for any specific product.

FAQs

Dangerous goods questions

Every dangerous goods shipment is different, since acceptance depends on matching your specific hazard class, packing group, and mode to a carrier able to take it. Contact our team with your shipment details, including the safety data sheet, and we’ll confirm what the move requires before anything is booked.

Ocean shipments fall under the IMDG Code, air shipments under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, and domestic ground transport within the US under 49 CFR. Each sets its own packaging, documentation, and labeling requirements by hazard class, and a shipment moving by more than one mode has to satisfy each set of rules for its leg of the journey.

Lithium batteries fall under Class 9 and carry specific packaging and documentation requirements that vary by battery type, state of charge, and whether they’re packed with or without equipment. Contact our team with your shipment details, and we’ll walk through what applies and how to prepare it.

Dangerous goods classification and documentation is a specialized, regulated function. It depends on correctly reading the hazard class system, the packing group rules, and the mode-specific documentation a shipment needs. Contact our team with your shipment details so we can discuss what it requires and how it can be prepared correctly.

At minimum, a shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods and the relevant safety data sheet, along with any mode-specific paperwork required by the carrier or destination country. Contact our team with your shipment details and we’ll confirm exactly what yours will need.

Services that support dangerous goods shipments

Related Services

Ocean Freight (FCL/LCL)

Ocean container freight for shipments that include regulated cargo.

Air Freight

Air freight routing for shipments that include regulated cargo.

Customs Brokerage

Add customs documentation for regulated or restricted commodities.

Shipping something regulated?

Send us the safety data sheet and shipment details, and we’ll walk you through what your shipment requires.

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