GUIDE — DANGEROUS GOODS
Dangerous Goods into Saudi Arabia — Shipment Requirements
Which rulebook governs which leg, the approvals that have to exist before a hazardous consignment is discharged, the documentation set, and the regulators involved — ZATCA, the port authorities, GACA, TGA, SASO, SFDA and the ministries that permit chemicals.
Sea
IMDG Code
Air
IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations
Classification
UN numbers and hazard classes
Chemical labelling
GHS
Port approval
Required before discharge
Chemical permits
Via Fasah
Which rulebook applies
Dangerous goods are governed by the regulations for the mode, not by a single national code. A consignment that moves by sea and then by road is governed by two rulebooks in sequence, and the handover between them is where compliance most often fails.
- Sea
- The International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. Packaging, marking, segregation, stowage and the dangerous goods declaration.
- Air
- The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, on top of the ICAO Technical Instructions. Carrier and state variations apply and are not optional.
- Road
- Saudi road transport requirements, under the Transport General Authority.
- All modes
- UN classification and UN-specification packaging, hazard marks and labels, and the shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods.
Carriers may restrict acceptance beyond the regulations — some, most or all classes — so the acceptance policy of the specific airline or line has to be checked before booking, not after.
SOURCES · IMO IMDG Code; IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations; Transport General Authority; General Authority of Civil Aviation.
The approvals that must exist before arrival
Prior approval from the port authorities is required for the importation of chemicals and hazardous materials. Without that approval the cargo may not be discharged — which is a materially worse outcome than a customs hold, because the goods are still on the vessel and the vessel is on a schedule.
Separately, the commodity itself may need an import permit. The Ministry of Commerce issues import permits for non-hazardous chemicals, requested through Fasah. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources permits restricted chemicals needed for production inside an industrial facility. Chemicals and harmful materials are on the list of goods requiring special approval to import at all.
Sequence the approvals against the sailing, not against the invoice. A permit applied for when the vessel is three days out is a permit that will not be in place when it berths.
SOURCES · Ministry of Commerce e-services (import permit for non-hazardous chemicals); Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources; U.S. International Trade Administration, Saudi Arabia Country Commercial Guide — Prohibited and Restricted Imports.
The documentation set
- Shipper’s declaration for dangerous goods, correctly completed for the mode.
- Safety data sheet for the substance.
- Correct UN number, proper shipping name, class and packing group on the transport documents and on the packages.
- UN-specification packaging, marked as such, in the condition the specification requires.
- Hazard labels and marks, and GHS classification and labelling for chemicals.
- Emergency response information appropriate to the mode.
- The ordinary import set — invoice, transport document, certificate of origin, packing list — plus any conformity certificate the product needs.
SOURCES · IMDG Code; IATA DGR; GHS; ZATCA.
Who regulates what
- ZATCA
- Customs clearance, import and export compliance, and the restricted-goods classification against the tariff.
- Port authorities
- Approval to discharge chemicals and hazardous materials, and handling inside the port.
- GACA
- Civil aviation, and therefore dangerous goods by air into and out of Saudi airports.
- Transport General Authority
- Road transport of dangerous goods within the Kingdom.
- SASO
- Technical regulations and conformity, including labelling requirements for chemical products.
- SFDA
- Substances within its remit — medicines, medical devices, food-contact materials, cosmetics, pesticides and feed.
- Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture
- Environmental and agricultural controls on regulated substances.
- Ministry of Commerce / Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources
- Chemical import permits, non-hazardous and restricted-industrial respectively.
SOURCES · ZATCA; GACA; Transport General Authority; SASO; SFDA; Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture; Ministry of Commerce; Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources.
Where dangerous goods actually go
Not every Saudi gateway handles every class. Capability by gateway — including which ports have dedicated dangerous-goods berths and which airports have hazardous-goods facilities — is set out on the individual profiles in this site’s Saudi port profiles and Saudi airport cargo guides. Where a facility has no such capability, the profile says so, and says where the cargo goes instead.
Confirm capability with the terminal and the line before booking. A class the port cannot accept is a routing problem, and it is cheaper to solve it at the booking stage than at the berth.
Official sources
- ZATCA ↗
- Customs clearance and the restricted-goods position for a given tariff code.
- Ministry of Commerce — import permit for non-hazardous chemicals ↗
- The electronic permit service, submitted through Fasah.
- SASO ↗
- Technical regulations, standards and conformity requirements including labelling.
RiyadhCargo.com is an independent news monitoring service. It is not a customs broker, freight forwarder, carrier or law firm, and nothing on this page is customs, tax or legal advice for a particular shipment. Procedures and rates change; the authorities named on this page are the only binding source. Check the current position with ZATCA or a licensed Saudi customs broker before you ship.
Frequently asked questions
What rules apply to dangerous goods shipped to Saudi Arabia?
The regulations of the mode: the IMDG Code by sea and the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations by air, with road movement inside the Kingdom under the Transport General Authority. UN classification, UN-specification packaging, hazard marking and labelling and the shipper’s declaration apply throughout, with GHS classification and labelling for chemicals.
Do I need approval before shipping hazardous cargo to a Saudi port?
Yes. Prior approval from the port authorities is required for the importation of chemicals and hazardous materials, and without it the cargo may not be discharged.
Who issues chemical import permits in Saudi Arabia?
The Ministry of Commerce issues import permits for non-hazardous chemicals, requested through Fasah. The Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources issues permits for restricted chemicals required for production within an industrial facility.
Are chemicals restricted imports in Saudi Arabia?
Chemicals and harmful materials appear on the list of goods requiring special approval by the Saudi authorities before importation. Classification and the specific substance decide which authority approves.
Can every Saudi port handle dangerous goods?
No. Capability varies by gateway and by class. Check the individual port or airport profile and confirm with the terminal and the carrier before booking.
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On the wire: Saudi ports & Mawani · Saudi airports & air cargo