CONTENTS Kontainers Guide

Dangerous Goods The 4 things you need to know about shipping hazardous materials.

CONTENTS 02 Introduction 04 Surcharges 05 Find the appropriate shipping line 06 Make sure you check country regulations 07 Know your goods 08 Conclusion

INTRODUCTION There are many companies and organizations around the world that are in the business of shipping hazardous goods. This can be anything from chemicals, to explosives, to flammable or toxic gasses. As atypical as all this may sound, the use and demand for such materials can be quite common and be used in industries such as farming or construction for example. The transportation of such materials involves a process that is entirely different than any other form of shipping. Cargo which is classified as dangerous goods can be categorized under several different classes. This determines how the products are to be packaged and handled for transport. While the rules aren’t as strict for small quantities of shipment, it is your responsibility to ensure that the proper labelling be applied for anything that can be considered as hazardous material and that your staff or shipping team have the appropriate training to handle the goods.

! 2

INTRODUCTION Every once in a while, people will forget to follow a step in procedure or overlook a rule for shipping dangerous goods. This can lead to nightmare shipments where exporters are faced with surcharges, cancellation fees, and rejected orders. In this guide, we will present you with our top 4 facts to consider and understand before you embark on shipping dangerous goods so that can minimize your chances of running into any trouble or difficulties and have a smooth shipping experience.

3

1

SURCHARGES

Be prepared to pay a lot more if you are planning to ship products which fall under ‘dangerous goods’ because the rates to ship hazardous materials will be much more expensive than ordinary cargo. This is due to all the extra handling and supervision that’s required to process such orders. The costs associated with shipping dangerous goods generally depends on how much administration work is needed and this is determined by which class the commodities fall under. Hazardous shipments can range from being catalogued as just ‘dangerous’ to ‘very, very dangerous.’

Very, very dangerous

Very dangerous

Dangerous £

££

£££

4

FIND THE APPROPRIATE SHIPPING LINE

2

In shipping dangerous goods, you’ll be limited in your choice of suppliers. Not all shipping lines accommodate to handling hazardous materials and because you’re restricted for choice of carriers, chances are you’ll have to pay a premium to transport the given products. Only carriers which have the appropriate license to handle dangerous goods can accept such orders.

OK

5

MAKE SURE YOU CHECK COUNTRY REGULATIONS

3

Even though you may have become used to using one freight forwarder or shipping line you consider to be reliable, you may be surprised with just how much you can save by shopping around. It may seem convenient at the time to rely on your sources that you’ve become accustomed to however, by comparing with several other suppliers and forwarders, you can easily save much more than ever anticipated. Here at Kontainers, we’ve seen differences of up to 50%!

REGULATIONS

6

KNOW YOUR GOODS

4

When prompted, you have to be ready and know everything there is to know about your cargo. This is a very serious matter and no one wants to have an accident on their hands. It is imperative that the supplier be familiar with all the details surrounding their commodity in order to ensure the safe delivery and handling of their shipment. There is a lot of paperwork associated with shipping dangerous goods and it is vital that the supplier be completely thorough when filling out the order form. Based on the information provided, special labelling is applied on the cargo and container. If the details of the shipment are not fully covered, then it can be stopped during any course of the journey – from trucking to sailing.

? 7

CONCLUSION While it is a necessity to transport dangerous goods, the rules and regulations that are put in place for such shipments ensure that the safety and appropriate handling be applied. Although the paperwork, admin, and all other formalities associating such shipments can be overwhelming to say the least, it is important to be aware of and to follow through on all requirements in order to ensure that your shipping experience is both smooth and unthreatened by risks and formalities. Once in a blue moon, for even veterans within the industry, we see suppliers sometimes make errors when shipping cargo that consists of hazardous materials. Whether it’s a mistake when filling out paperwork or not confirming if the goods have clearance to enter their port of destination, any error – big or small – can have a profound effect to both the supplier and all others involved in handling the shipment. The 4 points mentioned in this guide are important factors to take into consideration when making such shipments as they will help you not only understand the process involved in shipping dangerous goods but also what to expect for pricing and packaging.

8

CONTENTS

FREE Shipping Assessment See what Kontainers can do for you. Let us know if you’d like to receive a FREE shipping assessment from one of our in-house specialists. We’ll supply you with expert feedback on your company’s shipping performance, and provide you with tips on what you can do to make the most out of your freight shipments.

kontainers.com/freeshippingassessment

9

KontainersUK

[email protected]

0208 1338011