MetEx House, 496a Great West Road, Hounslow, Middlesex, TW5 0TE  ·  Shipping since 1998
0800 096 38 39
❄️ Dangerous goods • Dry ice • Since 1998

Shipping with dry ice
UN1845 — regulated, and often a surprise

Dry ice keeps things frozen in transit — and it is dangerous goods. It sublimates from solid straight to gas, so a sealed container builds pressure until it fails. The packaging has to vent, the marking is specific, and the airline has to know it is coming. Here is what actually applies.

Ask about your shipment📞 0800 096 38 39
What it is

Dry ice is regulated cargo

Dry ice is solid carbon dioxide. It is used to keep goods frozen in transit — food, pharmaceuticals, laboratory samples, specialist ingredients. It is also dangerous goods, and a surprising number of senders don’t realise it.

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Proper shipping name: “Carbon dioxide, solid”. UN number: UN1845. Class 9. It appears in the IATA air regulations and the IMDG code for sea, and it is fully regulated for both.
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The hazard is sublimation. Dry ice turns straight from solid to gas. In a sealed container that builds pressure until something ruptures; in an enclosed space it displaces oxygen. That is the whole reason for the rules.
The requirements

How dry ice has to be packed and marked

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The packaging must vent. It has to allow carbon dioxide gas to escape — a genuinely airtight container is dangerous, not safer. Never use a sealed plastic box or a taped-shut cooler.
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Marking is specific. Each package needs the UN number UN1845, the words “Carbon dioxide, solid” or “Dry ice”, the full name and address of shipper and consignee, the net weight of dry ice in that package, and a Class 9 label.
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The operator has to know. Ventilation arrangements are agreed with the airline, and the dry ice weight is declared on the air waybill. This is why it cannot be a surprise on arrival at the warehouse.
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Weight matters twice. Dry ice sublimates during transit, so the quantity has to be enough to last the journey but within the limits that apply to the aircraft and the packaging.
Before you commit

Is dry ice the right answer?

Dry ice adds cost, documentation and handling to every shipment. Before assuming it is needed, it is worth asking whether the goods genuinely require it for the full transit time, whether gel packs would do, and whether sea freight in a temperature-controlled container is a better fit for volume.

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Tell us the transit time you need, not just the destination. The right cooling solution depends on how long the goods are in the network, and that is something we can tell you before you buy anything.
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If the goods themselves are dangerous goods, the rules combine — the contents and the dry ice each have their own requirements. Say what is inside as well as what is cooling it.
Common questions

Your questions answered

Is dry ice dangerous goods? +
Yes. Dry ice ships as 'Carbon dioxide, solid', UN1845, Class 9. It is fully regulated for air and sea transport, and appears in both the IATA regulations and the IMDG code.
Why can't the box be sealed? +
Dry ice sublimates from solid straight to gas. In an airtight container that gas has nowhere to go and pressure builds until the container ruptures. Packaging for dry ice must allow the gas to escape.
What has to be marked on the package? +
The UN number UN1845, the words 'Carbon dioxide, solid' or 'Dry ice', the full name and address of shipper and consignee, the net weight of dry ice in that package, and a Class 9 label.
How much dry ice do I need? +
Enough to last the full transit time, since it sublimates throughout the journey — but within the limits that apply to the packaging and the aircraft. Tell us the transit time you need and we will advise before you buy anything.
What if the goods inside are also dangerous goods? +
Then both sets of requirements apply — the contents and the refrigerant each have their own rules. Tell us what is inside as well as what is cooling it.
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Lak Kharod, Director
Excess Luggage Co. • 40 years in the freight industry • MetEx House, Hounslow, next to Heathrow

“The biggest issues are always misdeclaration and incorrect packing. Most people think you put it in the box and send it. Tell us what is actually in the shipment and we will tell you how it has to travel.” For advice on a regulated shipment, call 0800 096 38 39.

Shipping something that needs to stay frozen?

Tell us what you’re sending and we’ll tell you how it has to be declared, packed and documented. We’ll give you a clear quote up front, before you commit to anything.

Ask about your shipment📞 0800 096 38 39
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