As FIATA marks 100 years of freight forwarding, an evolving IMDG Code and persistent cargo safety risks are putting renewed focus on the knowledge of the people moving dangerous goods through the supply chain.
Every day, dangerous goods move through global supply chains safely and without incident.
That outcome, however, depends on far more than having the right documentation or systems in place. It relies on people across the supply chain understanding the responsibilities attached to their particular role.
In 2026, that capability has taken on renewed importance.
The IMDG Code continues to evolve alongside changes in dangerous goods, technology and international regulation. While the 2024 edition, incorporating Amendment 42-24, became mandatory on 1 January 2026, attention is already turning to the 2026 edition, incorporating Amendment 43-26, which will become available for transitional use in 2027. The new edition is expected to introduce further changes arising from decisions made at UN level, reinforcing the need for organizations and their people to keep their dangerous goods knowledge current.
For freight forwarders, shippers, cargo handlers and vessel operators, these changes are a timely reminder that dangerous goods competence cannot be treated as a one-off compliance exercise.
The risk is distributed across the supply chain
Dangerous goods safety is often associated with the cargo itself. In practice, many of the risks arise from the decisions people make around that cargo: classification, packaging, marking, documentation, segregation, acceptance, stowage and handling.
That creates an important challenge for the logistics industry. There is no single dangerous goods role.
The responsibilities of a shipper preparing a consignment are different from those of a freight forwarder accepting it, a worker packing a container, a stevedore loading a vessel or a senior manager overseeing dangerous goods governance.
When knowledge breaks down at any one of those points, the effects can travel much further through the chain.
Recent international inspection data illustrates that the challenge has not disappeared. Container inspections undertaken by seven governments during 2024 identified deficiencies in 11.39% of the 77,688 containers inspected, including issues with placarding and marking, stowage and securing, documentation and packaging (1).
Industry bodies have also continued to highlight the risks presented by undeclared and misdeclared dangerous goods. ICHCA notes that inaccurate documentation or cargo descriptions can mean hazardous goods enter the supply chain without the people subsequently handling them understanding the risk they present.
That is why training needs to go beyond general awareness, says Brad Nicholson, Managing Director, DG Air.
“One of the biggest dangerous goods risks is not necessarily the shipment everyone knows is dangerous. It’s the shipment that has been incorrectly classified, declared, packed or handled somewhere along the chain. Effective training needs to give people the knowledge to recognize those risks and understand exactly what their own function requires.”
As both a forwarder and dangerous goods trainer, Brad is a leading authority on dangerous goods. DG Air was established in 1996 and specializes in dangerous goods transport and training across air, sea and road, while Brad has spent decades working with dangerous goods regulations and industry bodies.
From knowing the rules to applying them
The distinction between knowing that the IMDG Code exists and being able to apply it in an operational role is important.
The IMDG Code sets detailed requirements across the movement of dangerous goods by sea, including specific requirements for the training of personnel involved in those activities. For organizations, this makes capability a workforce issue as much as a regulatory one.
Training an employee in information irrelevant to their responsibilities creates unnecessary complexity. Training too narrowly can leave genuine knowledge gaps. The objective should instead be to give people the knowledge appropriate to the functions they actually perform.
That principle underpins the seven role-specific IMDG Sea Freight courses developed by DG Air Training Centre and delivered through WiseTech Academy, covering functions from preparing and accepting consignments through to packing, tank and bulk operations, vessel activities and senior dangerous goods oversight.
A fitting focus as freight forwarding marks 100 years
FIATA marks its centenary in 2026, 100 years after its founding in Vienna in 1926. Its centenary World Congress in Milan from 6–9 October is bringing the global freight forwarding community together to consider the next chapter of the industry, including digitalization, changing supply chains, risk management, safety and security.
A century of freight forwarding has been characterized by constant change: different modes, technologies, commodities, regulations and trading patterns.
One thing that has remained constant is the need for people with the knowledge to move goods safely and correctly. As the industry looks towards its next century, maintaining that capability around dangerous goods will allow global trade to operate safely into the future.
Making role-specific IMDG training more accessible
To mark FIATA’s centenary year and encourage more organizations to build that capability, WiseTech Academy is offering 50% off all fully online IMDG Sea Freight courses for a limited time.
The courses are:
100% online and self-paced
designed around different dangerous goods functions
developed with DG Air Training Centre
aligned with the current IMDG Code
suitable for first-time and refresher training
Organizations training larger teams can also use the free WiseTech Academy Corporate Portal to enroll personnel, monitor progress and manage training across teams and locations.
The promotional pricing is available until 31 January 2027
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