dangerous goods

Dangerous goods are substances that can cause harm to people, transport, or other goods. Laws governing their transport address the unique challenges they present. In civil-law countries, regulations define dangerous goods and specify shipping conditions or exclusions. In common-law jurisdictions, shippers are liable for damages from undeclared dangerous goods, unless they informed the carrier of the nature of the goods and the carrier accepted them knowingly. International agreements, such as the Dangerous Goods Code of the International Maritime Organization, provide a framework for regulating the movement of these substances by water.12