Rex's Freight Notes
Multiple UN Entries: Review Before Co-loading
Eight UN entries in one container should demonstrate disciplined review, not a claim that any combination can travel together. The value lies in turning specific cargo information into a workable, checked plan.
Written by Rex Xu·Shanghai, China
Shanghai Dangerous Goods & International Freight Forwarding Expert
Published
Updated
2 min read
What should I send? View the enquiry checklist
Short Answer
A UN number is a starting point, not independent permission to co-load. Review the actual entries, relevant primary and subsidiary hazards, specific provisions and segregation requirements, together with packaging, quantities, other cargo and carrier conditions. Any preliminary conclusion must remain tied to the actual load and be revisited after changes.
Classification, packing and acceptance remain subject to the current edition of applicable regulations, carrier review and port requirements. Confirm before shipment.
Complete the cargo list before planning the space
Record each actual product, UN number, proper shipping name, relevant hazards, packing group where applicable, packaging and quantity. Different products or conditions under one UN entry are not automatically interchangeable.
Mark unresolved information clearly. Do not treat an unknown product as general cargo merely to complete a volume calculation. The review needs a defined consignment.
A class table is not the final answer
General segregation requirements are only part of the review; consult relevant specific provisions and applicable co-loading conditions. Matching classes do not prove compatibility, while different classes do not create a universal ban.
A tool can help locate questions. Distinguish its messages from the rule text, and do not interpret silence as confirmation when the input is incomplete.
Translate the assessment into a loading arrangement
Review package condition, weight distribution, securing, contamination protection and loading sequence. Include non-DG goods in the proposed container list as well.
Make the resulting plan usable by the loading team. A divider, a different position or repacking is not a universal way to overcome segregation restrictions.
Changes require another look
An added product, changed formulation, different packaging or revised quantity must be communicated to those handling review and booking. Unchanged total volume does not prove the old plan remains suitable.
Review the planned combination before dispatch, inspect delivered cargo against it, and confirm the final list before stuffing. These are connected checks, not a first assessment delayed until warehouse arrival.
What the Shanghai–Manzanillo case demonstrates
The published case concerns eight different UN entries in one container from Shanghai to Manzanillo, Mexico, with arrival confirmed. It describes the shipment process without publishing the specific UN combination or customer identifiers.
That result cannot establish acceptance for a different combination. A new enquiry still needs its actual list, packaging, quantities and destination, followed by current service and handling checks.
What a review is not
A carrier review is an assessment against that carrier's own current requirements, made by the carrier. It is not a guarantee, and it is not something a forwarder can convert into one. What we can do is make the submission accurate and complete, and tell you early when something will not work.
Sources and scope
These official references provide background, not a complete shipment checklist or acceptance approval. US guidance from PHMSA or OSHA does not replace Shanghai export requirements. Confirm the applicable rules and carrier requirements for the actual shipment.
Common questions
- Can goods in the same class always share a container?
- No. Review the actual goods, relevant specific provisions, segregation requirements and acceptance conditions.
- Are eight UN numbers enough for a complete review?
- They begin the discussion. Names, relevant hazards, packaging, quantities and supporting information are also needed.
- Can DG and non-DG cargo share a container?
- Assess the actual combination. It is neither a universal ban nor blanket permission; segregation and contamination restrictions still matter.
- Will adding a divider solve the problem?
- Not as a general rule. A loading adjustment cannot replace the applicable segregation review.
- Why not wait until the goods reach the warehouse?
- Pre-dispatch review, receiving inspection and change review have different functions. Doing them in sequence reduces avoidable rework.
- Will you publish the eight-UN combination?
- No. The case describes a confirmed shipment, not a reusable permission table for other consignments.
Read the Shanghai–Manzanillo eight-UN shipment case →
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Tell me the cargo and the required arrival date
Cargo name, UN number if you have it, quantity, packaging, destination and the date it has to be there. If the classification is unsettled, say so and attach the MSDS.