Inbound Logistics | July 2026

HAZMAT LOGISTICS: HANDLE WITH CARE the work, but it doesn’t hand off the liability,” says Devin Knight, vice president, transportation and planning with ShipMonk, a fulllment and logistics company. So, in addition to conducting their

own operations with care, hazmat shippers need to thoroughly vet any logistics partners. “Your compliance is only as strong as the weakest handoff in that chain,” Knight says. SHIPPER TO-DO LIST As a starting point, shippers need to know which of their products are hazardous. This isn’t always as obvious as it sounds. For example, an entrepreneur might build a business around a gadget with a rechargeable battery, not realizing the product is regulated until a shipment gets rejected or a carrier ags it. Shippers also should know the risks that might come into play while their goods are in transit, says Brian Cupp, vice president, operations, with Intellitrans, a provider of transportation management solutions. Some products, for instance, contain stabilizing components. If a disruption extends the transit time, the product could begin to transform and possibly release toxic gases. This type of expertise takes on elevated importance as the transportation environment has become more uncertain. When disruptions impact shipments of dangerous goods, operational problems can quickly escalate into public-safety incidents, Ke explains. When working with logistics providers, shippers benet by providing timely, accurate, and thorough transparency. “The earlier and cleaner the data integration with your 3PL, the better the chance your inventory gets classied, packaged, and routed correctly,” says Kyle Garrett, chief operating ofcer with Red Stag Fulllment. For example, if a

Hazmat shippers must take into account many considerations when selecting a transportation partner. The cost of shipping bulk chemicals, for instance, may also include specialized equipment, such as a pump for unloading. Carriers must also be up to date on hazmat regulations and provide digital tools that ensure supply chain optimization.

product being shipped is a new variant with a different battery or chemical makeup, all parties should know this in advance so the fulllment paths and carrier routing can adapt. It also helps to understand how pricing calculations can change when a shipment contains hazardous materials. The cost for shipping bulk chemicals might have to cover specialized equipment, such as a pump for unloading, for instance, says Ian Reid, vice president, managed services with Odyssey Logistics. EVOLVING REGULATIONS Staying current with changing hazmat shipping regulations is also crucial. One example: Updated regulations from the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) require that standalone lithium-ion and sodium-ion batteries be charged to no more than 30% of total capacity during shipping. While the ideal solution is to push

compliance upstream and require manufacturers to certify a maximum 30% charge at the factory, fulllment centers must step in if that documentation is lacking, Garrett explains. Because the rule applies only to batteries moving by air, blanket testing at the receiving dock is inefcient. Instead, some fulllment centers are introducing targeted testing at the pack station, isolating the subset of orders agged for air travel. Another concern is that the state of charge is not easily identied on many devices, says Richard Saavedra, senior vice president, network operations, with DHL Express U.S. For example, industrial machines and tools powered by lithium- ion batteries often lack an accurate gauge to provide this information. In addition, as battery-powered products have become more common in ecommerce transactions, some carriers have tightened quantity limits, documentation standards, and contract requirements. “What was once a niche

HAZARDOUS MATERIALS OR DANGEROUS GOODS? Generally, the terms “hazardous materials” and “dangerous goods” can be used interchangeably, says Ryan Paquet of HazMat Safety Consulting. The United States tends to use hazardous materials, while the rest of the world uses dangerous goods. The reason? When the U.S. Congress wrote the relevant statute, it included the phrase “hazardous materials.” That phrase doesn’t easily translate, so the term “dangerous goods,” tends to be used internationally.

132 Inbound Logistics • July 2026