Proper Shipping Names

Section 3.1.2, Proper Shipping Names, provides useful information on the naming conventions for dangerous goods, as set out by the United Nations. The proper shipping name (PSN) is the portion of the Dangerous Goods List that most accurately describes the goods. The PSN for a given dangerous good is always called out in uppercase characters (for example, CALCIUM CARBIDE). On occasion, a combination of several distinct entries may be listed under a single UN number. When the words "and" or "or" appear in lowercase characters, or if the name is punctuated with commas, the entire name does not need to be used for documentation or package marking purposes. In these cases, the PSN is the most appropriate name for the given good.

To learn more about IMDG visit our International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code Online Training web page.