Services · 09 / Dangerous goods
Dangerous goods
Many cargoes are dangerous without their owner knowing it. A lithium battery, an aerosol, a paint, a concentrated cleaning product: all of them travel under rules of their own, with specific documentation and certified packaging.
We classify the cargo, prepare the declaration and book with carriers that actually accept that class.
The costliest mistake is not knowing it applies
Most problems do not come from those who knowingly ship dangerous goods.
They come from those who did not know their product was classified. It happens, for example, with:
- Electronics importers who discover that lithium batteries have a regime of their own.
- Those who bring in cosmetics without considering that aerosols and products containing alcohol are regulated.
- Those who import industrial supplies and assumed that an ordinary liquid had no classification.
Legal responsibility for declaring the cargo correctly lies with the shipper, not the carrier. An undeclared dangerous good is a serious offense, with consequences ranging from refusal of the shipment and a fine to liability for whatever happens in transit. That is why the first question we ask when a product seems to be borderline is a simple one: does it have a safety data sheet? If the manufacturer issued one, there is something to review.
The nine classes
The United Nations system groups the risk into nine classes.
| Class | Risk | Usual examples in foreign trade |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explosives | Fireworks, mining detonators |
| 2 | Gases | Aerosols, fire extinguishers, refrigerant gases |
| 3 | Flammable liquids | Paints, solvents, perfumery, alcohols |
| 4 | Flammable solids | Phosphorus, spontaneously combustible substances |
| 5 | Oxidizers and peroxides | Oxidizing agents, bleaches, some chemical inputs |
| 6 | Toxic and infectious substances | Pesticides, biological samples |
| 7 | Radioactive material | Medical equipment, measuring instruments |
| 8 | Corrosives | Acids, lead batteries, cleaning products |
| 9 | Miscellaneous | Lithium batteries, marine pollutants, dry ice |
Class 9 is the one that appears most and the one that surprises most, because it groups things that nobody associates with danger.
Lithium batteries
Today they are the most frequent dangerous good in imports.
They are classified differently depending on how they travel: on their own, contained in equipment, or packed with equipment. Each situation has its own UN number and its own conditions for packaging, labeling and quantity per package.
That means the same batch of products can receive three different treatments depending on how it is packed at origin. It is a decision best made before the supplier assembles the packages, not after.
Before quoting, shipping or declaring
The four data points that define everything.
- The UN number. A four-digit identifier, unique to each substance or group of substances.
- The proper shipping name. The official technical designation, which does not always match the product’s commercial name.
- The class or division. One of the nine above, plus the subsidiary risk if it has one.
- The packing group. It indicates the degree of danger within the class and determines what type of packaging is required.
These four data points come from the safety data sheet issued by the manufacturer. If that sheet does not exist or is incomplete, the first step is to obtain it, not to estimate.
Ocean mode
Governed by the IMDG Code.
It is the mode that admits the most volume and the widest variety of classes.
Considerations
- Stowage is regulated. Each product has a category that defines where it can go on the vessel: under deck, on deck, away from the accommodation. It is not negotiable.
- Segregation matters when there is more than one class. Certain substances cannot travel near others, inside the container or between containers. Consolidating two apparently harmless products can be inadmissible if their classes are incompatible.
- The container requires a packing certificate. A document declaring that the cargo was packed and secured in accordance with the code.
- The booking is different. The shipping line approves the shipment case by case, with the technical information in advance. Not all lines accept all classes, and some have restrictions by transshipment port.
A confirmed booking for general cargo does not work for dangerous goods, and starting over takes days: it is the point that generates the most delays.
Air mode
Governed by IATA, on the criteria of ICAO.
It is the most restrictive of the three modes.
Considerations
- Some goods are simply prohibited by air even though they travel without problem by sea. If your product is in that category, air stops being an option however urgent the need.
- Quantities per package are much smaller. What fits in a single shipment in an ocean container may require several packages by air, or may exceed the permitted limit altogether.
- Some cargo flies only on cargo aircraft. It is prohibited on passenger aircraft, which reduces the flight options and can lengthen the transit despite being by air.
- Packaging must be certified and labeling is strict. A misplaced label or a package with illegible markings is rejected at acceptance, no discussion.
- The shipper’s declaration must be perfect. Acceptance staff check document against package, and any discrepancy stops the shipment.
The practical rule: by air everything is settled beforehand, because there is no room to correct things once the cargo is at the terminal.
Road mode
Each country on the corridor has its own regulations.
In Chile the transport of dangerous substances on streets and roads has its own rules, and so do the countries of the regional corridor.
Considerations
- The vehicle must be approved and carry the placards corresponding to the cargo it transports.
- The driver requires specific training and documentation that accredits it.
- It must travel with the safety data sheet accessible, in Spanish, and with emergency instructions.
- There are route and schedule restrictions depending on the cargo and the area, especially in urban areas and tunnels.
- In the regional corridor, the border crossing is added, where the documentation is checked and each country applies its own transit rules.
How we operate
Seven steps, from classification to terminal coordination.
- Classification checkWe start from the manufacturer’s safety data sheet. If there is none, it is requested; if it is incomplete or out of date, it is corrected before going on. From it come the UN number, the proper shipping name, the class and the packing group.
- Assessment by modeNot all classes travel by all modes, or in the same quantities. We define which route is viable before quoting, so as not to offer something that cannot be booked later.
- Packaging requirementsWe confirm with the supplier that the packagings are of the required type and correctly marked. It is where shipments fail most: the product is properly classified but the packaging does not comply.
- DocumentationDangerous goods declaration, safety data sheet and, for ocean, the container packing certificate. Each document must match exactly what the packages say.
- Booking with the carrierWith the technical information in advance and explicit confirmation that they accept that class on that route.
- Terminal coordinationTerminals have specific zones and procedures for this cargo, with their own receiving windows.
- Sector permits when applicableSome classes also require authorization from specific authorities, beyond transport. They are processed in parallel. The most frequent case is hazardous chemical substances, which fall under health control: they need a Customs Destination Certificate from SEREMI de Salud to leave the customs area for an authorized warehouse. It is a procedure separate from transport, and one that many importers of industrial supplies do not expect. See trade compliance.
Before quoting
What we need to quote.
- Safety data sheet of the product, issued by the manufacturer
- UN number, class and packing group, if you already have them
- Quantity per package and total quantity
- Type of packaging and whether it is certified
- Origin, destination and real urgency
- Whether the product has been shipped before and by which mode
Without the safety data sheet it is not possible to quote seriously. Any price given without that document is provisional and may change once the real classification appears.
Next step
Tell us what you need to move.
With the safety data sheet we can tell you which class applies and which routes are viable. If information is missing, we write to you before quoting instead of giving you a number that changes later.