Shipping dangerous goods to Saudi Arabia
Dangerous goods (DG) — chemicals, batteries, aerosols, paints, gas equipment — ship to Saudi Arabia only with an MSDS (Safety Data Sheet), a correct UN number and hazard class, certified DG packaging and a carrier that accepts the class. Misdeclared DG is the fastest way to lose a booking, pay penalties, or strand a container — the freight rules bite before customs does.
Is my product a dangerous good?
Check the MSDS from the manufacturer — section 14 lists the UN number, class and packing group. Common surprises: lithium batteries (alone or inside devices, UN3480/3481), perfumes and aerosols (flammable), paints and thinners, disinfectants, power banks and some cosmetics. "It is just a consumer product" does not exempt it: classification follows chemistry, not marketing.
What does DG shipping require end to end?
- MSDS in English (Arabic requested by some authorities)
- UN-certified packaging with class labels and marks
- DG declaration to the carrier; sea (IMDG) and air (IATA DGR) rules differ — much consumer DG that flies restricted moves easily by sea
- Carrier and port acceptance for the class; some classes need port slot approval
- Normal ZATCA clearance plus, for chemicals, possible SFDA/other-agency oversight
What goes wrong most often?
Undeclared batteries inside "ordinary" electronics discovered at origin screening; wrong or missing UN numbers freezing a booking; and mixed containers where one DG line contaminates the schedule of everything else in the box. Sanad Global screens packing lists for DG triggers before booking, which is when the problem costs nothing to fix.
Questions importers ask about this
Related guides
- Customs clearance in Saudi Arabia
- SABER certificate
- FASAH customs platform
- Shipping from China to Saudi Arabia
Get a clearance cost estimate
Leave your number. A licensed broker replies within 30 minutes during working hours (Sun–Thu, 9:00–18:00 KSA).
Frequently asked questions
What is an MSDS and do I need one?
A Material Safety Data Sheet from the manufacturer describing the product's hazards, UN number and handling rules. Carriers and authorities require it for any suspected DG line.
Can lithium batteries ship to Saudi Arabia?
Yes — by sea relatively freely under IMDG rules, by air under strict IATA limits (often cargo-aircraft-only or state-of-charge limits). Devices with installed batteries are the easiest case.
Do dangerous goods pay higher duty?
Duty follows the HS code as usual; the extra cost is in freight — DG surcharges, packaging and documentation — not in customs.
Can you ship paints and chemicals for us?
Yes — Sanad Global books DG-accepting carriers, verifies MSDS/UN details and handles port approvals as part of the freight service.
Get a clearance cost estimate
Leave your number. A licensed broker replies within 30 minutes during working hours (Sun–Thu, 9:00–18:00 KSA).