Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration Releases Typical Cases: False and Omitted Declarations in the Transport of Dangerous Goods such as Paints and Lithium Batteries Result in Enforcement Actions
Release time:2026-03-20
The Guangzhou Maritime Safety Administration has released typical cases of investigations and penalties in 2025 for the false or concealed reporting of dangerous goods carried on board vessels within its jurisdiction. Many of these cases involve the false or concealed transportation of flammable liquids and miscellaneous dangerous goods, and the persons held accountable have been dealt with in accordance with the law, serving as a warning to ensure compliance with regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods.
Case studies show that in September 2025, law enforcement officers conducted an inspection of a container booked under the description “automotive coatings” and discovered small cans of coating inside, which were classified as flammable liquids with UN number UN1263 and thus required transport in accordance with the dangerous goods regulations. The shipper’s violation resulted from insufficient knowledge or negligence and must therefore bear the corresponding liability. In addition, several other cases involved the misdeclaration or concealment of miscellaneous dangerous goods; for instance, one container booked as “mobile phone accessories” was actually loaded with electric scooters, which are classified as miscellaneous dangerous goods, while another case involved the misdeclaration of lithium-ion batteries as ordinary cargo for transport.
The maritime authorities remind that common items such as coatings, lithium batteries, and electric scooters are classified as flammable liquids and miscellaneous dangerous goods, respectively, and must be declared and transported in strict accordance with the International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code. False or concealed declarations not only violate relevant regulations but also pose a serious threat to shipping safety; once detected, such violations will be severely punished in accordance with the law.
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