Dangerous goods — the 9 classes, decoded

“Dangerous” doesn’t mean unshippable — it means shipped by the rules. DG consolidation is one of our specialties.

Class	What it covers	Everyday examples
1 Explosives	Anything that detonates	Fireworks, airbag inflators
2 Gases	Compressed, liquefied, dissolved	Aerosols, LPG, fire extinguishers
3 Flammable liquids	Ignites below 60°C	Paints, solvents, perfumes, sanitiser
4 Flammable solids	Burns readily / self-ignites	Matches, sulphur, some metal powders
5 Oxidizers & peroxides	Feeds or intensifies fire	Bleaches, pool chemicals, fertilisers
6 Toxic & infectious	Harmful if inhaled/ingested	Pesticides, certain lab samples
7 Radioactive	Specialist handling only	Medical isotopes, gauges
8 Corrosives	Eats metal or skin	Batteries (acid), cleaning chemicals
9 Miscellaneous	Everything else with risk	Lithium batteries, magnets, dry ice

The surprise: Class 9

The DG class most SMEs meet without knowing it. Anything with a lithium battery — power banks, laptops, e-bikes, even some toys — ships as dangerous goods. Declaring it properly costs a little; not declaring it risks fines, rolled cargo and voided insurance.

What we need from you

The SDS / MSDS (safety data sheet) from your supplier — it names the UN number and class
Honest cargo descriptions — we handle the rest: declaration, compliant packing, carrier approval
Our weekly DG-accepting LCL consolidations through Singapore are rare in the market — small DG shipments welcome

Related guides: Container sizes · Shipping documents · All guides

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