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EDIFACT message guide · Transport

IFTDGN Dangerous goods notification

The UN/EDIFACT message used to declare dangerous goods to the party acting for the authority that checks compliance.

Sent by
Carrier's agent or freight forwarder
Received by
Port or other authority checking dangerous goods compliance
Standard
UN/EDIFACT · Batch message
X12 equivalent
No direct equivalent

What is the EDIFACT IFTDGN message?

IFTDGN is the UN/EDIFACT dangerous goods notification message. The directory defines it as a message from the party responsible for declaring dangerous goods, such as a carrier's agent or freight forwarder, to the party acting on behalf of the local authority that checks conformance with the legal requirements for controlling dangerous goods.

Ports and authorities need advance notice of dangerous cargo arriving, departing or passing through, with UN numbers, classes, packing groups, quantities and locations on board. The notification supports safe handling, segregation and emergency response.

How the EDIFACT IFTDGN message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT IFTDGN Dangerous goods notification message. Carrier's agent or freight forwarder sends it to port or other authority checking dangerous goods compliance. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG7 loop with CNI (Consignment information) and the required SG12 loop with GID (Goods item details) and the required SG14 loop with DGS (Dangerous goods), FTX (Free text) and MEA (Measurements). 8 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT IFTDGN message worksDangerous goods notification: who sends it, where it fits and what the directory marks mandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeIFTDGNSENDERCarrier's agent orfreight forwarderRECEIVERPort or other authoritychecking dangerousgoods complianceCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDsUNB … UNZMessage IFTDGNUNH … UNTSTART OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG7 · repeats up to 9,999CNIConsignment informationMandatory group SG12 · repeats up to 9,999GIDGoods item detailsMandatory group SG14 · repeats up to 1DGSDangerous goodsFTXFree textMEAMeasurements+ 8 conditional groups, starting with:RFFTDTNADEQDSGPBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditional groups are listed by the trigger segment that starts them; a group is sent only when its data applies.Conditional segments outside groups are not drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in the UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for IFTDGN. Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.
How the EDIFACT IFTDGN message worksDiagram of the UN/EDIFACT IFTDGN Dangerous goods notification message. Carrier's agent or freight forwarder sends it to port or other authority checking dangerous goods compliance. It usually starts the exchange. Inside the UNB and UNH envelopes, the directory D.21A requires, in the start of message: BGM (Beginning of message) and body and segment groups: the required SG7 loop with CNI (Consignment information) and the required SG12 loop with GID (Goods item details) and the required SG14 loop with DGS (Dangerous goods), FTX (Free text) and MEA (Measurements). 8 conditional segment groups are listed by their trigger segment.How the EDIFACT IFTDGNmessage worksDangerous goods notification: who sends it,where it fits and what the directory marksmandatory1 WHERE IT FITSUSUALLY FOLLOWSStarts the exchangeIFTDGNSENDERCarrier's agentor freightforwarderRECEIVERPort or otherauthoritycheckingdangerousgoodscomplianceCONTRL syntax report back, if agreedUSUALLY FOLLOWED BYNo business reply expected2 WHAT DIRECTORY D.21A REQUIRESInterchange: sender and recipient IDs(UNB … UNZ)Message IFTDGN (UNH … UNT)START OF MESSAGEBGMBeginning of messageBODY AND SEGMENT GROUPSMandatory group SG7 · repeats upto 9,999CNIConsignment informationMandatory group SG12 · repeatsup to 9,999GIDGoods item detailsMandatory group SG14 ·repeats up to 1DGSDangerous goodsFTXFree textMEAMeasurements+ 8 conditional groups, starting with:RFFTDTNADEQDSGPBlue box: mandatory segment group. Conditionalgroups are listed by the trigger segment thatstarts them; a group is sent only when its dataapplies. Conditional segments outside groups arenot drawn.Structure: mandatory segments and groups in theUN/EDIFACT directory D.21A listing for IFTDGN.Your trading partner's implementation guide adds itsown requirements.

How to read this diagram: the top row shows who sends IFTDGN, to whom, and which messages usually come before and after it. The lower part shows what the directory D.21A itself requires: the envelopes around IFTDGN and the segments and segment groups it marks mandatory. Conditional groups are listed by their trigger segment rather than drawn in full. This is the directory's minimum, not a trading partner's requirement: a message implementation guide, such as an industry subset or a partner’s own guide, usually makes some conditional groups mandatory, restricts the codes and may use an older directory.

Expand diagram Download SVG

When it is used

  • Notifying a port authority of dangerous cargo on a vessel
  • Declaring dangerous goods for transit through a port
  • Reporting changes to declared dangerous cargo

Where it fits in the message flow

This message IFTDGN Dangerous goods notification

No other message routinely comes directly before or after IFTDGN; it is exchanged when the business event occurs. If the partners agree, the receiver confirms each interchange with a CONTRL syntax and service report.

Structure

Mandatory segments in IFTDGN (directory D.21A)

In UN/EDIFACT directory D.21A, the IFTDGN message has 44 segment positions arranged in 15 segment groups. These are the segments and segment groups marked mandatory at message level, in order; a mandatory group is shown with the segment that starts it. Segments inside conditional groups are needed only when the group is used. This is the directory’s requirement, not your trading partner’s: each partner’s message implementation guide names the directory it uses, often an older one such as D.96A or D.01B where the structure can differ, makes some conditional segments mandatory and restricts the codes.

  • UNH
  • BGM
  • SG7 (CNI)
  • UNT

Practical example

IFTDGN in practice

A container vessel will call at Rotterdam with 46 containers of dangerous goods for discharge and transit. The carrier's agent sends the port authority an IFTDGN listing each container, its UN number, class, packing group, quantity and stowage position. The authority checks the declaration and approves handling before the vessel berths.

Implementation

Implementation considerations for IFTDGN

  • Follow each port's notification deadlines and local rules.
  • Validate UN numbers, classes and packing groups against the dangerous goods regulations.
  • Keep declarations consistent with bookings and stowage plans.
  • Send updates when cargo or stowage changes.

How ECOM helps

Automate IFTDGN with ECOM

Industry

Trucking and Transportation

Load tenders, responses, status and freight invoices for carriers, brokers and shippers, integrated with the TMS.

Solution

Logistics Automation

Automate tenders, status updates, freight invoices and warehouse orders with logistics partners.

Solution

EDI Integration

Exchange X12 and EDIFACT documents with partners and integrate them directly with your ERP.

Compare X12 and EDIFACT, or see answers to general questions in the EDI FAQ.

Related messages

Related transport messages

All 36 transport messages

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