IMO classes

The International Maritime Organization sorts dangerous goods into nine classes. The class decides packing, labelling and stowage.

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  • Class 1: Explosives

    Substances and articles with an explosion hazard, split by how violently they react.

    • 1.1Mass explosion hazardAffects almost the entire load at once.
    • 1.2Projection hazardThrows fragments, but no mass explosion.
    • 1.3Fire hazardWith a minor blast or projection hazard, or both.
    • 1.4Minor explosion hazardEffects stay largely inside the package.
    • 1.5Very insensitiveMass explosion hazard, but very unlikely to start.
    • 1.6Extremely insensitiveArticles with a negligible chance of accidental ignition.

  • Class 2: Gases

    Substances with a vapour pressure of 300 kPa or more at 50 °C, or fully gaseous at 20 °C. Covers compressed, liquefied, dissolved and refrigerated gases, gas mixtures, gas-charged articles and aerosols.

    • 2.1Flammable gases
    • 2.2Non-flammable, non-toxic
    • 2.3Toxic gases

  • Class 3: Flammable liquids

    Liquids with a flash point of 60 °C (140 °F) or less, or liquids with a flash point at or above 37.8 °C (100 °F) that are heated on purpose and shipped in bulk at or above their flash point.

    Flash point ≤ 60 °C

  • Class 4: Flammable solids

    Solids that catch fire easily in transport, heat up on their own, or give off flammable gas when wet.

    • 4.1Flammable solidsReadily combustible, or ignite through friction.
    • 4.2Spontaneous combustionHeat up and ignite in normal transport or in air.
    • 4.3Dangerous when wetGive off flammable gas in contact with water.

  • Class 5: Oxidizers and organic peroxides

    Substances that release oxygen and can intensify a fire or cause an explosion.

    • 5.1Oxidizing substancesDo not always burn, but feed the fire around them.
    • 5.2Organic peroxidesThermally unstable, with fire or explosion risk.

  • Class 6: Toxic and infectious substances

    Substances that harm people if swallowed, inhaled or touched, and materials that carry pathogens.

    • 6.1Toxic substancesCan cause death or serious harm on contact.
    • 6.2Infectious substancesContain bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi.

  • Class 7: Radioactive material

    Any material containing radionuclides where both the activity concentration and the total activity exceed set limits. A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus that decays.

  • Class 8: Corrosives

    Substances that degrade or destroy other materials on contact through chemical action.

  • Class 9: Miscellaneous dangerous goods

    Hazards the other classes do not cover: environmentally hazardous substances, goods shipped at high temperature, genetically modified organisms and, depending on the mode, magnetised materials and aviation-regulated substances.