From perfumes and paint to aerosols, batteries, machinery with fuel residue, and industrial chemicals, far more cargo is classified as dangerous goods (DG) than most shippers expect. Getting it wrong isn't just a delay — it's a safety risk, a fine, and potentially a lifetime carrier ban. The good news: with the right classification and a trained partner, DG moves smoothly every day out of Dubai.
What actually counts as dangerous goods?
Dangerous goods are articles or substances capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or the environment during transport. Crucially, "dangerous" is a regulatory definition, not a common-sense one. A bottle of nail polish, a power bank, a car battery, a cylinder of refrigerant and a tin of solvent-based adhesive are all DG. If you're unsure, assume it might be and check the Safety Data Sheet (SDS) — section 14 tells you the transport classification.
The nine classes of dangerous goods
The UN Model Regulations sort all DG into nine hazard classes. Several have sub-divisions and packing groups (PG I–III) that signal the degree of danger.
| Class | Hazard | Everyday examples |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Explosives | Fireworks, ammunition, airbag inflators |
| 2 | Gases | Aerosols, propane, refrigerants, oxygen cylinders |
| 3 | Flammable liquids | Paint, solvents, perfume, ethanol |
| 4 | Flammable solids | Matches, sulphur, some metal powders |
| 5 | Oxidisers & organic peroxides | Pool chemicals, certain resins, fertilisers |
| 6 | Toxic & infectious substances | Pesticides, diagnostic specimens |
| 7 | Radioactive material | Medical isotopes, certain instruments |
| 8 | Corrosives | Acids, alkalis, wet-cell batteries |
| 9 | Miscellaneous | Lithium batteries, dry ice, magnetised material |
The rulebooks change with the mode
The same chemical can be governed by different rules depending on how it travels. All trace back to the UN Model Regulations, but each mode has its own manual:
- By air — IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR): the strictest regime, with quantity limits per package, "passenger aircraft" vs "cargo aircraft only" distinctions, and a mandatory Shipper's Declaration. In the UAE this sits under the GCAA (General Civil Aviation Authority).
- By sea — IMDG Code: governs ocean DG, including segregation between incompatible classes inside a container and stowage on board.
- By road — ADR: the framework for road movements, relevant to the first/last mile and overland legs.
This is exactly why DG classification and mode selection go hand in hand — a point we make in our guide to choosing air vs sea freight.
The paperwork that actually matters
Most DG rejections are documentation failures, not packing failures. The core set:
- Safety Data Sheet (SDS/MSDS): the starting point — confirms UN number, class, packing group and proper shipping name.
- Dangerous Goods Declaration: the Shipper's Declaration (DGD) for air under IATA, or the IMDG declaration for sea. It must be completed by a trained, currently-certified person.
- Air Waybill / Bill of Lading annotated with the DG handling information.
- Packing certificate (container/vehicle packing certificate for sea consignments).
The single most important field is the UN number and proper shipping name. Get that right and everything downstream — packaging, marks, labels, limits — follows from it.
Packing, marking and labelling
DG must travel in UN-specification packaging tested and certified for the contents, within the quantity limits for the mode. On the outside, the package needs:
- The correct hazard label(s) — the diamond-shaped class labels — including subsidiary risks.
- The UN number and proper shipping name.
- Orientation arrows, "cargo aircraft only" labels, or environmental hazard marks where required.
- Overpack marks if packages are combined.
Incompatible classes must be segregated. You cannot, for example, pack certain oxidisers next to flammables — the IMDG segregation table and IATA rules dictate what can share a unit.
A special word on lithium batteries
Lithium batteries are now one of the most common — and most mishandled — dangerous goods. They fall under Class 9 with their own UN numbers (UN3480/UN3481 lithium-ion, UN3090/UN3091 lithium-metal) and a fast-evolving rulebook covering state of charge, watt-hour rating, whether they're shipped loose, packed with equipment, or installed in equipment, and which aircraft can carry them. Undeclared lithium batteries are a leading cause of cargo incidents — never ship them hidden inside "general cargo".
Top reasons DG shipments get rejected
- Undeclared or mis-declared goods (the costliest mistake of all).
- Expired or wrong-mode declaration (an IMDG form for an air shipment).
- Non-UN-spec packaging, or quantities over the per-package limit.
- Missing, wrong, or damaged hazard labels and marks.
- Incompatible items packed together without segregation.
- SDS missing, outdated, or in the wrong language.
How Delman keeps DG moving
Our team handles compliant dangerous goods shipping under the applicable regime for each mode — the IATA DGR and GCAA rules by air, the IMDG Code by sea, and ADR and local regulations by road — classification, declarations, UN-spec packing, segregation, and emergency procedures. We catch the issues above before the cargo reaches the airport or port, not after. If you have an SDS and a destination, we can tell you quickly whether it flies, sails, or needs a different plan.
Frequently asked questions
What are the 9 classes of dangerous goods?
1 Explosives, 2 Gases, 3 Flammable liquids, 4 Flammable solids, 5 Oxidisers & organic peroxides, 6 Toxic & infectious substances, 7 Radioactive material, 8 Corrosives, and 9 Miscellaneous (including lithium batteries). Many classes have divisions and packing groups that set the precise rules.
Do I need a Dangerous Goods Declaration?
Yes. Air requires a Shipper's Declaration under IATA DGR; sea requires an IMDG declaration. Both must be completed by a trained, certified person and backed by a current SDS and correct UN-spec packaging, marks and labels.
Can I ship lithium batteries by air from the UAE?
Yes, but they're tightly regulated. State of charge, watt-hour rating, packaging and whether they're loose or installed all change the rules, and many are restricted to cargo aircraft only. Always declare them.
What's the difference between IATA DGR and the IMDG Code?
IATA DGR governs DG by air; the IMDG Code governs DG by sea. They differ on quantities, packaging, documentation and segregation — so the same item can be fine one way and restricted the other.
