Dangerous goods (ADR/IMDG): what can be shipped and how
Hazard classes, documents and packaging, so that the carrier accepts your cargo. Send us the safety data sheet and we confirm whether and how it can travel.
The rules in brief
Dangerous goods — chemicals, batteries, aerosols, paints, some cosmetics — travel under special rules: ADR for road transport and IMDG for sea freight (IATA DGR for air).
What the carrier checks
Hazard class
Every dangerous good belongs to one of 9 classes (explosives, gases, flammables, oxidisers, toxic, corrosive and others). The class determines the requirements for packaging, labelling and the vehicle.
Documents
A safety data sheet (MSDS/SDS), correct classification by UN number and a dangerous goods declaration. Without them the carrier will not accept the cargo.
Packaging and labels
Certified UN-marked packaging, hazard labels on each package, and sometimes segregation from incompatible cargo.
We accept many classes
We take many hazard classes when the documents are in order. Send us the SDS and a description, and we confirm whether transport is possible and by which route.
What most often turns out to be dangerous cargo
Lithium batteries and equipment containing them (class 9, UN 3480/3481) are the most frequent surprise when electronics and tools are received. Aerosols and gas cylinders (class 2); paints, varnishes, solvents, perfume and alcohol-based cosmetics (class 3); disinfectants and acids (class 8); fertilisers and oxidisers (class 5); magnets for air freight — a carrier accepts all of these only as dangerous goods with the proper documents.
What makes a product dangerous is not its purpose but its properties as stated in the safety data sheet: section 14 gives the UN number, class and packing group. Have the SDS ready before the order is shipped: if the goods are dangerous but are dispatched as ordinary cargo, they will be taken off the flight or truck at the terminal, and repacking costs more than the transport itself.
How a dangerous goods shipment works
- 1Classification and choice of mode
We classify the goods from the SDS and choose the transport: some classes are banned from air freight, others from groupage. - 2Packaging and paperwork
Certified UN-marked packaging with hazard labels; the shipper’s dangerous goods declaration (IMDG for sea, IATA DGR for air); for road, an ADR-certified driver and an equipped vehicle. - 3Border and customs
Dangerous cargo goes through the same procedures as ordinary cargo, plus a check of permits; chemicals may need registration or a licence in Russia. - 4Cost and timing
The surcharge is usually 20–50% on top of the rate, and transit is 2–5 days longer because of separate terminal slots. We accept dangerous goods with a safety data sheet and prepare the classification and documents ourselves.
Frequently asked questions
Can dangerous goods go as groupage?
It depends on the class and quantity. Batteries in equipment, cosmetics and paints in consumer packaging are often accepted into groupage with volume limits; explosives and toxic substances only travel by dedicated transport. We check the SDS before booking.
How much more does dangerous goods transport cost?
As a rule 20–50% on top of the normal rate, because of the packaging, vehicle and document requirements. The surcharge is higher for air, and some items are banned outright. For regular shipments the cost comes down once the process is established.
What documents do you need from me as the supplier?
A safety data sheet (MSDS/SDS) for the current version of the product, the certificate for the UN packaging and the shipper’s dangerous goods declaration. Everything else — classification, labelling, transport documents and permits — we handle.
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