Managing dangerous goods in global transportation

Assessing the transport of dangerous goods by sea and air reveals a global reliance on chemical products, the 3^rd  most traded commodity at $2.19 trillion in 2021. India’s chemical sector, ranking sixth with a $178 billion market size, contributes 7 percent to GDP.

While 30 percent of chemical trade is classified as dangerous goods, primarily transported by ocean for bulk shipments (1 percent by air for smaller volumes), both modes present safety risks, compliance penalties, and piracy threats.

Improving training standards is imperative, as the industry needs to prioritise comprehensive training for effective management of hazardous materials.

International regulations define dangerous goods as substances posing significant risks to health, safety, and the environment. Compliance involves adhering to the nine hazard classes, emphasising the intricate challenges and global significance of transporting hazardous materials.

Ensuring the safe transportation of hazardous materials faces complexities in identifying, classifying, and complying with regulations. Challenges include proper packaging, marking, and adherence to intricate legal and technical standards. Ocean transport risks ecological disasters through hazardous container dumping, while air transport prioritises passenger safety. Temperature control, crucial for certain goods, proves impractical in air transportation, emphasising the multifaceted challenges of securely moving dangerous materials.

Insights into the regulatory frameworks governing the shipment of dangerous goods reveal the UN Recommendation as the foundational regulation. Derived from this, modal authorities such as the IMDG Code for ocean transport and the ICAO TI for air transport (resulting in the IATA DGR) set international standards. In India, specific regulations include the Aircraft (Carriage of Dangerous Goods) Rules 2003 for air transport and the Merchant Shipping (Carriage of Cargo) Rules 1995, covering diverse aspects of dangerous goods transport by ocean.

In the realm of dangerous goods transportation, current technological advancements are lacking, with only minor improvements, especially in lithium battery packaging. Balancing cost-effective transport with environmental and public safety imperatives is crucial. Non-compliance poses substantial risks for carriers, emphasising the need for stringent adherence to regulations.

Addressing inadequate packaging quality in India is pivotal, requiring businesses to prioritise safety. Proper classification testing for new chemical products is essential, with strict compliance leading to reduced costs. Creating risks for carriers escalates costs, underscoring the delicate balance between affordability and the safety of transporting hazardous materials.

Crucial considerations for organisations and governments in planning the movement of dangerous goods involve adopting a unified approach among modal regulatory authorities. In India, unique constraints, like testing labs limiting packaging contrary to UN guidelines, require attention.

An inter-ministerial committee is essential for overseeing overall transportation issues. Mandating safety advisors, akin to Europe’s practices, ensures rigorous adherence to safety standards. Establishing a database of trained industry individuals enhances regulatory oversight. Improving training standards is imperative, as the industry needs to prioritise comprehensive training for effective management of hazardous materials.