After dangerous goods have been packed into any cargo transport unit (containers or vehicles) for a maritime journey a certificate⁵⁷ must be signed to certify that the dangerous goods have been properly marked and labelled, segregated, secured, that no leaking packages were packed, and the container has been correctly placarded and that the packages and the cargo transport unit comply with every requirement of the IMDG code.

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⁵⁷ IMDG Code, 2022 Edition Amendment 41-22, Section 5.4.2

The person directly controlling the cargo transport unit packing operation is responsible for signing the packing certificate^57.

Shippers can only sign packing certificates if they also control the cargo transport unit packing operation. Shippers that pack their own dangerous goods into cargo transport units become the packers and are legally obliged to complete and sign the packing certificate section of the dangerous goods transport document as well as the shipper’s declaration.

Shippers should not issue shipper’s declarations to any third party with the packing certificate signed before the cargo transport unit has been packed. Shippers who arrange for third parties to pack their dangerous goods into cargo transport units on their behalf should never complete or sign the packing certificate at any stage.

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IMDG Code, 2020 Edition Amendment 40-20, Section 5.4.2

Most organisations use a dangerous goods transport document based on the UN multimodal document that includes both the shipper’s declaration and the packing certificate on a single document – a “combined document”. See related information in Section A4.4 and a completed example of the UN multimodal document illustrated below.

Shippers using a third party to pack their dangerous goods will complete and sign the shipper’s declaration section on the combined document, and send that with the dangerous goods to the packer.

The packer must ensure that he completes and signs the packing certificate section of the dangerous goods transport document after the dangerous goods have been packed and the cargo transport unit has been sealed for transport.

The shipping line will require a signed copy of the packing certificate before loading the cargo transport unit to a ship.

Like the shipper’s declaration, the packing certificate is also a legal declaration. No technical details about the dangerous goods are added by the packer, he only adds his signature, name, status, company and date of signing to the document, but by doing so he creates a legally binding statement that he accepts responsibility for the safe condition, marking, labelling, placarding, packing and securing of the dangerous goods in the cargo transport unit, and the structural integrity of the unit itself.

The specific safety factors concerning the packing of dangerous goods into a cargo
transport unit for which the packer accepts responsibility are set out in clauses on
the reverse page of the UN model dangerous goods form that is reproduced in the
IMDG Code⁵⁸:

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⁵⁸ IMDG Code, 2022 Edition Amendment 41-22, Section 5.4.5.1

In summary, the packing certificate certifies that the dangerous goods packages were properly marked and labelled, packed in good condition, properly segregated following IMDG Code rules, the cargo transport unit was itself in good condition, and the goods were packed and secured in a fit state to withstand a journey by sea, and the cargo transport unit was marked and placarded according to IMDG requirements.