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Freight Solutions for the Chemicals Industry
Goodfreight specialises in freight for chemical manufacturers, distributors and formulators, including hazardous and dangerous goods. Our core expertise is UK–EU chemical corridors by road and sea, UK–US chemical freight by air and ocean, and UK–Turkey trade, all handled by certified in-house dangerous-goods specialists who issue DG certification directly, with a packing partner ten minutes from Heathrow.
Freight Solutions for This Sector
The Challenges of Chemicals Freight
Classification and dangerous-goods declarations. One shipment can be non-hazardous by road and restricted by air, and the UN class, packing group and proper shipping name have to be right for the mode before anything moves. Our in-house DG specialists classify the goods and issue the declaration directly, rather than passing you to a third party and hoping.
Mode-specific rules: ADR, IMDG, IATA DGR. Road runs to ADR, sea to IMDG, air to IATA DGR, and each has its own packing, marking and quantity limits. We work the goods against the rules for the mode you actually need, and tell you plainly when air won't take it and sea will.
Compliant packing, labelling and segregation. UN-approved packaging, correct hazard labels, orientation arrows and segregation of incompatible substances are where inspections fail. Our packing partner near Heathrow packs to the standard for the mode, so the goods present correctly at the first check.
Documentation and customs on regulated goods. Safety data sheets, dangerous-goods notes, commercial invoices and, post-Brexit, certificates of origin all have to agree with each other. We build the pack so the substance, the class and the value match across every document, before it reaches a customs officer.
Commodities & services
Packaged dangerous goods (road, sea, air) - UN-classed substances in drums, IBCs, jerricans and boxes, packed and documented to ADR, IMDG or IATA DGR depending on the corridor and mode.
Non-hazardous and limited-quantity chemicals - formulations, raw materials and finished product that ship as general or limited-quantity cargo, without over-classifying and over-charging you.
In-house DG classification and certification - certified specialists who classify the substance, confirm packing group and UN class, and issue the dangerous-goods declaration directly, plus compliant packing through our partner near Heathrow.
Customs and documentation - commercial invoice, packing list, safety data sheet alignment, certificate of origin and EUR1 where goods qualify, with UK Importer of Record available on UK-EU movements.
UK to EU: what chemical exporters need to know
The EU is the default corridor for most UK chemical shippers, and since Brexit it carries full customs on both sides. Road under ADR is the workhorse for packaged dangerous goods into Europe: it gives you door-to-door control, driver ADR competence and the shortest transit for most lanes. Sea under IMDG suits larger or lower-urgency volumes. Get the safety data sheet, commercial invoice and certificate of origin to agree, and confirm whether the substance qualifies for EUR1 preference before you book. UK Importer of Record is available where you need it.
UK to US: what chemical exporters need to know
The US takes chemical freight by both air and ocean, and the discriminator is usually urgency against quantity. Air under IATA DGR moves fast but caps how much regulated product you can load per shipment. Ocean under IMDG carries the volume but adds transit and demands the container is declared and segregated correctly. US import is a formal entry, and chemical imports can attract agency oversight on top of customs. Classify for the mode first, because a substance that flies as limited quantity may ship freely by sea.
UK to Turkey: what chemical exporters need to know
Turkey is a strong secondary corridor for UK chemical trade, reached by air, road or sea, with customs on both ends and Turkish customs known for scrutinising valuation. Air under IATA DGR is fastest for urgent packaged goods. Road under TIR is the practical middle for regulated freight, moving under a TIR carnet through the overland route. Sea under IMDG carries the volume. Post-Brexit documentation applies: commercial invoice, packing list, certificate of origin and EUR1 where the goods qualify. Make sure declared values are defensible, because a valuation query in Turkish customs will hold the shipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you handle dangerous goods other freight companies have refused?
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Dangerous goods are core to what we do. We have certified in-house DG specialists who classify the substance, confirm the UN class and packing group, and issue the dangerous-goods declaration directly, rather than declining the freight or outsourcing the decision.
Do I need different paperwork for road, sea and air?
Yes. Road runs to ADR, sea to IMDG and air to IATA DGR, and each has different packing, labelling, quantity limits and documentation. We tell you what the mode requires before you commit.
Who issues the dangerous-goods certification?
We do. Our in-house specialists are certified to classify and issue DG certification directly, and our packing partner ten minutes from Heathrow packs the goods to the standard for the mode.
What documents do I need for a chemical shipment into the EU or Turkey?
Typically a commercial invoice, packing list, safety data sheet, dangerous-goods note where applicable, and certificate of origin, plus EUR1 where the goods qualify. We build the pack so every document agrees before it reaches customs.