What is the 'special' cargo of international air

Special cargo refers to those due to the nature of the cargo (dangerous goods, fresh and perishable cargo, cargo with strong smell), value (precious cargo), volume (oversized cargo) or weight (overweight cargo), etc., when being transported The general term for goods subject to special restrictions.

Personal belongings (unaccompanied luggage)

An important difference between unaccompanied baggage and other goods is that the shipper and consignee of the baggage items are usually the same person. For other air cargo, the shipper is different from the consignee. Compared with other goods on international flights, luggage items on international flights are easier to pass through customs or declare to the customs.

Valuable goods

Valuable goods generally refer to those goods with a volume of less than 0.1m3 and a value of more than RMB 8,000.

When valuable cargo is transported by air, the words 'Valuable Cargo' must be indicated in the 'Nature and Quantity of Goods' column of the air waybill.

Valuable goods also have special requirements for packaging. Valuable goods should be packed in hard wooden or iron boxes, which must be strong and intact. Paper packaging cannot be used because paper packaging is easy to be stolen and does not meet the safety requirements.

In order to ensure safety, the transportation of valuable goods has to do extra work than the transportation of general goods, so the freight rate of precious goods is higher than that of general goods.

Goods with strong smell

Sulfide, sesame oil, garlic concentrate, some tropical fruits, etc., all have a strong smell. Once this kind of cargo is not packaged tightly or damaged, the leaked odors may spread to other cargos. These odors may be difficult to remove. In severe cases, the aircraft will not be able to fly normally for a few days. Until the strong smell is removed, the aircraft can fly normally.

Therefore, goods with a strong smell must be well packed, and there must be no leakage in the outer packaging.

Live animals

The transportation of live animals refers to the transportation of live poultry, wild animals, experimental animals, amphibians, fish, insects, and other live animals. The key to the transportation of live animals is to ensure that the animals are in a good environment at all stages of the transportation and that the animals reach the destination in good condition.

Live animals transported by air are divided into 5 categories (classes):

Amphibians, birds, crustaceans, mammals, reptiles.

Perishable goods

Fresh and perishable goods refer to goods that are prone to death or spoilage under normal transportation conditions. For example: aquatic products, seafood, vegetables, fruits, flowers, meat and other perishable foods.

Fresh and perishable goods generally require special measures during transportation and storage, such as refrigeration, freezing, moisture retention, heat preservation, and shade, to ensure that the goods are fresh and do not deteriorate.

When fresh and perishable goods are transported by air, the words 'Perishable' must be indicated in the 'Nature and Quantity of Goods' column of the air waybill. Each outer package of fresh and perishable goods should also be affixed with the labels 'Perishable' and 'This side up'.

Wet cargo

Wet goods refer to goods that contain liquids (except dangerous goods), or goods that can produce liquids due to their nature. For example: liquids contained in sealed containers; wet goods contained in non-sealed containers, such as fish or aquatic shellfish packed with ice cubes; goods that can produce liquids, such as live animals.

Because the liquid of wet goods can contaminate airplanes or other goods, the transportation of wet goods must comply with special regulations for wet goods, such as the packaging must be leak-proof.

Many wet goods are fresh and perishable goods at the same time, and these wet goods should also meet the requirements for the transportation of fresh and perishable goods.

Oversized cargo and overweight cargo

According to different flight types, the standards for oversize or overweight cargo are different. Oversized cargo by air refers to cargo that must be loaded on two or more aviation pallets, or cargo that must be loaded and unloaded with special handling equipment due to the volume or weight of the cargo.

Overweight cargo by air generally refers to a single piece of cargo exceeding 150 kg. The maximum limit of each piece of cargo depends on the aircraft type and airport facilities responsible for the carriage.