FedEx DROPS “V-PACK” REQUIREMENT

IATA DGR 2019 and FX-02

IATA SIGNIFICANT CHANGES

In keeping with the standard practice of alerting users to modifications in the new edition of the Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) for air transport, the list of Significant Changes and Amendments to the 60^th Edition (2019) were released several months ago, and are incorporated into the recently published copies of the DGR.

An overview of these changes was the subject of blogs issued by ICC on August 28^th and September 26^th of this year.

Typically changes in the State and Operator Variations, in s. 2.8, are not outlined in specific detail in the Significant Changes document, but are referenced as a general reminder. This contrasts with amendments issued between publications which illustrate the actual details of changes.

Which leads us to FX-02…

FX-02 DROPS “V” RATED PACKAGING

A rather significant operator variation in s. 2.8.4 of the IATA DGR was the common application of FX-02 (f) to liquids in specified classes. This limitation, which existed as FX-17 prior to the 57^th Ed., required shippers to use the heavy duty UN-standard “V-Pack” (“variation” commonly noted by UN code 4GV) package even though it wasn’t mandated by the Packing Instruction (PI) or other provisions of the DGR.

The limitation was invoked when FedEx customers were choosing to ship under the “International Economy” or “International Freight Economy” designations. Not only was it required in place of PI-required UN standardized packaging, but the V-rated package was also invoked for limited quantity (“Y”) PI that normally did not require UN standardized packaging.

The provision applied to liquids that belong to primary Class 3, 4.2, 5.1, 5.2 or 8.

There are approximately 129 PI that invoke FX-02, up to a third of which would probably have applied paragraph (f).

As you may have deduced at this point, the IATA DGR 60^th Ed., effective January 1, 2019 no longer contains paragraph (f) in FX-02, nor is there a re-numbered equivalent section in the FedEx Variation section.

Similarly, FX-02(a) which (except for UN1230), required “V” rated packaging for international transport of PG I or II primary or subsidiary Class 6.1, has been edited. The 2019 version requires UN specification PG I level packaging under this limitation. So the packaging options for shippers will be increased starting January 1, 2019.