How to Complete and Submit the IMO Dangerous Goods Declaration Form

The IMO Dangerous Goods Declaration form, officially the Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form, is the shipping document you complete whenever hazardous cargo moves by ocean vessel. It captures what the substance is, how it is packaged, who is responsible for the accuracy of that information, and, when goods travel in a freight container, it also serves as the Container/Vehicle Packing Certificate. The form is built around the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (the IMDG Code, 2024 Edition with Amendment 42-24, mandatory since January 1, 2026), and every field must line up with the entries in that Code.1International Maritime Organization. IMDG Code

Most ocean carriers supply a branded version of the form through their booking portal or dangerous goods desk. The layout mirrors the IMO model form reproduced in section 5.4.5 of the IMDG Code, and you can also buy the template directly from the IMO’s online store. Freight forwarders often provide an electronic version with the vessel name, port of loading, and booking number already populated.

Header and Routing Fields

The form runs to roughly 22 numbered sections. The top portion handles logistics and routing.2Evergreen Marine Corporation. Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form

  • Section 1, Shipper/Consignor/Sender: your company’s full legal name and address.
  • Section 2, Transport document number: the booking number or bill of lading number issued by the carrier.
  • Section 6, Consignee: the receiving party’s name and address at destination.
  • Section 7, Carrier: usually completed by the shipping line.
  • Section 10, Vessel and date: the vessel name and scheduled sailing date. If the shipment transships, list both legs.
  • Sections 11–12, Port of loading and port of discharge: the origin port where the container boards the vessel and the port where it comes off.
  • Section 13, Destination: the final delivery point, which may differ from the discharge port if the cargo moves inland.

Section 8 asks whether the shipment falls within specific limitations, such as passenger-vessel restrictions or limited-quantity allowances. Section 9 collects handling information, including the Emergency Schedule (EmS) code, the U.S. DOT Emergency Response Guide number, and the 24-hour emergency contact.

The Dangerous Goods Description

Section 14 is the core of the form, and it is the field most often blamed for rejections. The description of each substance must follow the exact sequence set out in the IMDG Code:

  • UN Number, a four-digit code preceded by “UN” (for example, UN 1263 for paint).3Maritime Safety Innovation Lab. IMDG Pocket Card Dangerous Goods
  • Proper Shipping Name from the IMDG Code’s Dangerous Goods List, not a trade name. For a “not otherwise specified” (n.o.s.) entry, include the technical name in parentheses.
  • Class and, where applicable, division. Class 1 covers explosives, Class 2 gases, Class 3 flammable liquids, Class 4 flammable solids, Class 5 oxidizers and organic peroxides, Class 6 toxic and infectious substances, Class 7 radioactive material, Class 8 corrosives, and Class 9 miscellaneous dangerous goods. A division qualifier, such as 2.1 for flammable gas versus 2.2 for non-flammable gas, is added when the class uses one.
  • Subsidiary hazard(s), listed in parentheses after the primary class.
  • Packing Group: PG I (high danger), PG II (medium), or PG III (low). Gases and most explosives do not use packing groups.3Maritime Safety Innovation Lab. IMDG Pocket Card Dangerous Goods
  • Number and kind of packages, describing the outer packaging (for example, “4 steel drums”).
  • Gross mass and net mass in kilograms. Weight data feeds vessel stability calculations and quantity-limit checks.
  • Flashpoint, required for any substance with a flashpoint at or below 60°C (140°F). State it in degrees Celsius with “c.c.” (closed cup) or “o.c.” (open cup).3Maritime Safety Innovation Lab. IMDG Pocket Card Dangerous Goods

A properly formatted line for a Class 3 flammable liquid that is also a marine pollutant might read: “UN 1263, PAINT (triethylbenzene), 3, PG III, 27°C c.c., MARINE POLLUTANT.” Deviations from the sequence, or a missing element, will trigger a rejection at the carrier’s dangerous goods desk.

Marine Pollutants

If the substance meets the IMDG Code’s criteria for a marine pollutant, add the words “MARINE POLLUTANT” at the end of the description and supplement the proper shipping name with the technical name of the pollutant component. Substances that qualify as marine pollutants but do not fit any other hazard class ship under UN 3077 (solid) or UN 3082 (liquid), both Class 9 environmentally hazardous substances.

Limited Quantities

Hazardous materials shipped in small inner packages below the IMDG Code’s per-package thresholds qualify as limited quantities. The description keeps its normal format but must include “Limited Quantity” or “LTD QTY.” Packages carry the limited-quantity diamond mark rather than full class labels, and marine pollutant markings are not required. If the entire cargo transport unit holds only limited-quantity goods, it displays a limited-quantity placard rather than standard class placards.

Emergency Contact in Section 9

Section 9 requires a 24-hour emergency contact telephone number. For shipments subject to U.S. regulations, 49 CFR 172.604 imposes specific conditions: the number must be monitored at all times the material is in transport, including storage in transit, and it cannot route to voicemail, an answering machine, or a pager requiring a callback.4eCFR. 49 CFR 172.604 – Emergency Response Telephone Number Whoever answers must know the material and hold response information, or have immediate access to someone who does.

If you use an emergency response information provider, list the provider’s contract or unique identifier next to the number. For international phone numbers, include the “+” and the full country and city codes. Many shippers also add the EmS fire and spillage schedule codes and the U.S. DOT Emergency Response Guide number in this section.

Container Packing Certificate

Whoever packs dangerous goods into a freight container must complete Section 20, the Container/Vehicle Packing Certificate. It can be a standalone document but is normally built into the Multimodal Dangerous Goods Form.3Maritime Safety Innovation Lab. IMDG Pocket Card Dangerous Goods Tanks are exempt.

By signing, the packer certifies that:5GOV.UK. MCA Guidance for Container Packing Certificates on Dangerous Goods Notes

  • The container was clean, dry, and structurally fit to receive the goods.
  • Substances requiring segregation under the IMDG Code were not packed together in the same unit.
  • All packages were externally inspected for damage and only undamaged packages were loaded.
  • Drums were stowed upright unless the competent authority authorized otherwise.
  • Goods were properly braced and secured for the planned transport modes.
  • The container and its packages carry the correct marks, labels, and placards.

If the shipper personally loads and secures the container, the shipper signs Section 20. If a third-party warehouse or packing facility does the loading, that facility’s representative signs. A carrier can refuse the container if the certificate is missing or if there is reason to suspect the packing does not comply.6Danish Maritime Authority. SOLAS Chapter VII – Carriage of Dangerous Goods

The Shipper’s Declaration and Signature

The final section carries the shipper’s declaration, a legal certification required under SOLAS Chapter VII.7International Maritime Organization. SOLAS Chapter VII – Carriage of Dangerous Goods – Section: Regulation 4 Documents The standard wording reads: “I hereby declare that the contents of this consignment are fully and accurately described above by the proper shipping name(s), and are classified, packaged, marked and labeled/placarded, and are in all respects in proper condition for transport according to applicable international and national governmental regulations.”8TBG Freight Services. IMO Dangerous Goods Declaration

The signer must be authorized by the shipping company to accept legal responsibility for the accuracy of the declaration. The signature makes the signer personally accountable if the description turns out to be wrong and something goes wrong at sea. Only sign after verifying the classification, packaging, and description yourself, or after confirming that qualified staff have done so.

Submitting the Form to the Carrier

Ocean carriers usually accept the completed declaration electronically, through a booking portal, a dedicated dangerous goods email address, or an EDI connection. Paper copies still appear at the terminal gate, presented alongside the delivery order. Whatever the format, the shipping paper must be legible and in English.9eCFR. 49 CFR 172.201 – Preparation and Retention of Shipping Papers

Carriers set their own DG documentation cutoff, often 48 to 72 hours before estimated departure, though the window varies by carrier and trade lane. Separately, U.S. Customs and Border Protection requires carriers to transmit cargo manifest data at least 24 hours before loading at a foreign port.10U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Cargo Vessel Manifest That CBP rule covers all containerized cargo, not just dangerous goods, but it means your DG paperwork must be finalized well before loading. Miss the cutoff and the container is rolled to the next sailing, with terminal storage charges accumulating in between.

Why Declarations Get Rejected

Carrier dangerous goods desks see the same errors repeatedly. Most are avoidable if you check the form against the Dangerous Goods List before you send it:

  • Incorrect or missing proper shipping name, including trade names in place of the standardized name or a missing technical name on n.o.s. entries.
  • Wrong UN number or hazard class, including transposed digits or a subsidiary hazard listed as the primary class.
  • Missing flashpoint for a substance at or below 60°C.
  • Incomplete emergency contact information, such as a number routing to voicemail or a missing provider contract number.
  • Unsigned declaration, or a signature from someone the company has not authorized.
  • Missing Container Packing Certificate on a containerized shipment.
  • Improper segregation of incompatible substances in the same container without an approved exemption.
  • Gross mass on the declaration not matching the verified gross mass of the container.

A rejection after the cargo has arrived at the terminal means the container sits, and storage charges build up quickly. Submitting as early as the booking system allows leaves room to fix issues before they cost sailing time.

Penalties for Inaccurate Declarations

A false or incomplete declaration carries substantial exposure. Under U.S. federal law, the base statutory maximum civil penalty is $75,000 per violation, rising to $175,000 when a violation causes death, serious illness, severe injury, or substantial property destruction.11Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 5123 – Civil Penalty Inflation adjustments have pushed the enforceable maximums above those baselines; for 2026, the adjusted ceiling is $102,348 per violation per day, and $238,809 per day where death or serious harm results.

Criminal penalties are separate. A person who willfully or recklessly violates hazardous materials transportation law faces fines under Title 18 and up to five years in prison, and up to ten years when the violation involves a release causing death or bodily injury.12Office of the Law Revision Counsel. 49 USC 5124 – Criminal Penalty PHMSA investigates misdeclared and undeclared shipments, so the risk is not theoretical.