FedEx Changes Style & Substance
The 2017 IATA DGR Limitations (Section 2) has a bit of a curve ball thrown to those who have become familiar with the common FedEx (FX) limitations found throughout the Section 5 packing instructions (PI).
In addition to the substantive changes in lithium battery shipment acceptance, the complete FX series has been re-arranged. The restrictions in the previous (57th) edition are still there but have been largely consolidated as sub-items; often within a different FX number. The change results in going from 18 FX numbers, 17 of which were active (FX-08 was “Not used”) to essentially the same topics covered in a list of 9 active FX numbers (FX-01 through FX-08 & FX-18)- i.e. FX-09 through FX-17 are currently not in use.
A quick reference guide for those who had memorised the common FedEx exemptions appears below:
FedEx-Changes in IATA DGR Limitations
| TOPIC | 57th Ed 2016 | 58th Ed 2017 |
| Class 1 | FX-01 | FX-01 (a), (b) |
| Class 6.1, PIH, Class 2 with sub. | FX-02 | FX-02 (a), (b) |
| Class 7…+ excepted pkg | FX-03 | FX-03 (a)- (d) + (e) |
| Nitrating acids | FX-04 | FX-04 (a) |
| Haz waste | FX-05 | FX-04 (b) |
| PCBs | FX-06 | FX-02 (c) |
| Li Batteries | FX-07 | FX-05 (a) – (d) |
| not used | FX-08 | – |
| Class 6.2, WHO RG4 | FX-09 | FX-04 (c) |
| Class 4.3 | FX-10 | FX-02 (d) |
| Pkg must accommodate labels | FX-11 | FX-06 |
| Typed ShDec | FX-12 | FX-07 |
| Compressed oxygen | FX-13 | FX-02 (e) |
| Shipper’s Dec, 3 copies… | FX-14 | FX-08 |
| Acetylene; DiMeDiClsilane; Zr suspension | FX-15 | FX-04 (d) |
| Sp A2, A183 not recognised | FX-16 | FX-04 (e) |
| IE/IEF require “V-pkg” | FX-17 | FX-02 (f) |
| Software for ShDec | FX-18 | FX-18 |
Note: Although there are several “FX-” limitations relating to, for example, marking and documentation; the majority of limitations are referenced in the PI. For details on FedEx’s current approach to lithium batteries, see Paula’s Blog of Nov. 3:
