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Documents Required to Determine if a Product is a Dangerous Good or General Cargo for International Shipping

Documents Required to Determine if a Product is a Dangerous Good or General Cargo for International Shipping

How to determine if a product is a dangerous good or general cargo for international shipping via FCL (Full Container Load) sea freight, LCL (Less than Container Load) sea freight, air freight, or international express shipping, and what documents are required by shipping lines and airlines for confirmation. The following is a comprehensive and authoritative list of requirements.

When sourcing and shipping goods from China, it's common to encounter products that fall into a grey area between dangerous goods and general cargo. The shipping nature and freight costs for these two categories are completely different.
International dangerous goods transport has strict requirements, while general cargo transport is relatively straightforward.

Products purchased online from China, such as those related to batteries, beauty/hair care, magnets, liquids, or pastes, often face challenges. When you try to work with local international logistics companies or freight forwarders in China, they may tell you that these items cannot be shipped.

So, do these products belong to the category of dangerous goods for international transport? What documents should you request from the factory or seller to confirm if a product is a dangerous good? Below are the detailed documents required by shipping lines or airlines for transport.

International FCL and LCL Sea Freight

• Hazard Classification andldentification Report for Transport of Goods(by sea)
• 1. MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
• 2. Product Information Sheet
• 3. Photos of the packaging before and after
• 4. English product name
• 5. HS code (Harmonized System code)

International Air Cargo Transport

• 1.Hazard Classification andldentification Report for Transport of Goods (by air)
• 2. MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet)
• 3. Product photos

The documents listed above can help to generally confirm whether the product you purchased is a dangerous good.

Of course, both the shipper and consignee for these transports need to be companies.
For formal booking and transport, you will need to provide complete documentation and additional operational materials, such as a "Dangerous Goods Packaging Certificate for Sea Transport" and "Export Customs Declaration documents."

Many individuals outside of China purchase these products from platforms like Taobao, 1688, JD.com, or directly from markets introduced by relatives and friends. They buy from different suppliers or stores and need to ship them from China.
How can such products be shipped in a safe and compliant manner?

If you are an individual purchasing these types of products from China, it is highly recommended to find a professional Chinese international freight forwarding company to help you.
They can assess the situation and provide a solution.
This way, you can confirm the shipping plan and estimated costs before making a purchase.
Do not wait until the goods arrive at a consolidation warehouse and you need to ship them before telling the logistics company that the products contain batteries, liquids, powders, etc., and that you need the supplier to provide documents for confirmation.
At that point, suppliers typically won't cooperate or provide the necessary information, which could result in the goods being unable to be shipped from China or returned to the seller.