The air cargo industry just took a major step toward safer, faster dangerous goods handling. IATA’s new DG Digital platform turns paper-heavy compliance checks into real-time digital workflows-cutting rejection rates from 4.5% to just 0.5% in Japan pilot trials.
95% of dangerous goods declarations still processed on paper
Why This Matters Now
Dangerous goods shipments grew 17.5% year-on-year in 2025, driven by lithium batteries, chemicals and explosives. Yet 95% of declarations still arrive as paper or PDF scans. That creates delays, errors and costly rejections at acceptance.
DG Digital changes the game. Built into IATA’s DG AutoCheck platform, it validates more than 3,800 regulated items and cross-checks declarations against Dangerous Goods Regulations in real time.
How It Works
The system replaces manual document handling with automated compliance validation. Shippers create electronic declarations. Freight forwarders, ground handlers and airlines access the same verified document instantly. No scanning. No email chains. No guesswork.
DG AutoCheck processes shipments in as little as 5 minutes, calculating Q-values, flagging operator variations and verifying staff certification automatically. Issues surface before cargo reaches the airport-avoiding fines, penalties and safety risks.
“DG Digital supports this by digitalising the shipper’s declaration process, providing all stakeholders-from shipping agents and freight forwarders to ground handlers and airlines-access to the same document.”
– Frederic Leger, IATA Senior Vice President for Product & Services
Proven Results From Japan
Trials with All Nippon Airways, Japan Airlines and six freight forwarders delivered dramatic results. Rejection rates dropped to 0.5%-nine times better than the global average. That’s fewer delays, lower costs and safer operations across the board.
ANA became the first Asian carrier to implement IATA’s DG AutoCheck Connect API, enabling data exchange with partners. Air France KLM Cargo was the first global airline group to adopt the system, reporting up to 50% faster processing times and fewer errors.
What Freight Forwarders Gain
- Faster quote-to-book cycles: Resolve compliance issues in minutes, not days
- Lower rejection risk: Catch errors before cargo moves
- Transparent workflows: All parties see the same data in real time
- Improved margins: Fewer penalties, faster turnaround, better client service
The Bigger Picture
DG Digital is part of IATA’s broader push to digitalise air cargo. The organisation represents over 360 airlines accounting for 85% of global air traffic. Its Dangerous Goods Regulations manual-now in its 67th edition-remains the global standard for hazmat shipping.
Electronic Dangerous Goods Declarations (e-DGD) gained regulatory approval in 2009 when ICAO updated its Technical Instructions. IATA’s Cargo XML standard (XSDG) followed, and by March 2018, the Cargo Services Conference endorsed data-sharing principles for e-DGD. Community-driven projects in France, Switzerland and Germany have been testing the concept since 2016.
What Comes Next
With dangerous goods shipments expected to grow 4.9% over the next five years, real-time compliance tools will become table stakes. DG Digital gives forwarders the speed, accuracy and transparency needed to compete-without the subscription fees or platform taxes that eat into margin.
The shift from paper to digital isn’t coming. It’s here. And the forwarders moving first are already winning.
