DG Declaration

The Dangerous Goods Declaration is the shipper’s signed certification that a hazardous cargo has been properly classified, packed, marked, labelled, and is in proper condition for transport. Without a valid DG Declaration, the carrier will not accept the booking and the container will not load. It is the single most important transport document for any DG sea shipment.

What the form must contain

The DG Declaration uses the IMO Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form (or the carrier’s equivalent format) and must show, for each substance in the shipment:

1. Proper Shipping Name, the official IMDG name, not the trade name
2. UN Number, four-digit identifier from the IMDG Code
3. Hazard Class and any Subsidiary Risk, e.g. “8 (6.1)” for a corrosive with toxic subsidiary
4. Packing Group (PG I, II, or III)
5. Quantity and packaging type, number and type of packages, net quantity per package
6. Marine Pollutant indicator if applicable
7. EmS reference, the Emergency Schedule code from the IMDG Code
8. Flashpoint for flammable liquids
9. Shipper’s certification statement signed and dated

The shipper signs the certification statement, which says (paraphrased): “the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above by the proper shipping name, classified, packaged, marked, labelled, and in all respects in proper condition for transport according to applicable international and national governmental regulations.”

That signature is a legal certification. Misdeclaration of dangerous goods is a criminal offence in most jurisdictions and the carrier’s liability insurance will not cover misdeclared cargo.

How the DG Declaration interacts with the booking

The carrier reviews the DG Declaration during the booking. Their on-staff chemist (every major carrier has one) checks:

• The Proper Shipping Name and UN Number match
• The hazard class and packing group are consistent with the substance
• The quantity is within the carrier’s per-container DG limits
• The packaging description matches a UN-certified type for the packing group
• The substance is permitted on that vessel and route (some routes prohibit certain DG classes)
• The proposed stowage position satisfies IMDG segregation rules

If the chemist finds any inconsistency, the booking is rejected and the shipper has 24 to 72 hours to correct before the slot is released.

Common failure modes

1. Trade name on the DG Declaration instead of Proper Shipping Name. Carrier rejects.
2. Wrong UN Number. Often because the factory pulled a similar but not identical UN entry. Carrier rejects.
3. Packing group mismatch with packaging. The DG Declaration says PG II but the drums carry a PG III UN code. Carrier rejects.
4. Missing flashpoint on a Class 3 flammable. Carrier rejects pending data.
5. Marine Pollutant flag missing on a substance that is one. Carrier rejects pending re-declaration.

The Chinese factory is the shipper of record and is responsible for issuing the DG Declaration. We review every DG Declaration before it goes to the carrier and routinely catch errors in items 1, 2, and 3, before the booking gets rejected and the cargo loses its sailing slot.

Cost of getting it wrong

A rejected DG booking costs: the original sailing slot (one to two weeks delay to the next vessel), demurrage on the cargo at the factory or port if the rebooking takes time, and the rebooking fee from the carrier. Real-world cost on a single 20-foot DG container: USD 800 to USD 2,500. Multiplied across a recurring booking pattern, it adds up. A clean DG Declaration costs nothing extra, it is just a matter of discipline at the factory and review on our end.

Related terms

IMDG is the parent code. UN Number is one of the required fields. Packing Group is another. MSDS Section 14 must match the DG Declaration line by line.