The broad principles governing the international transport of dangerous goods by air are contained in
Annex 18 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation —
The Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air. The Technical Instructions amplify the basic provisions of Annex 18 and contain all the detailed instructions necessary for the safe international transport of dangerous goods by air.
Dangerous goods can be carried safely by air transport providing certain principles are adopted. These principles have been used in developing the Technical Instructions. They are intended to facilitate transport while providing a level of safety such that dangerous goods can be carried without placing an aircraft or its occupants at risk, providing all the requirements are fulfilled. They try to ensure that should an incident occur it cannot lead to an accident.
The 2023-2024 Edition of the Technical Instructions is required to be used for operations from 1 January 2023 and will remain valid until 31 December 2024. A list of amendments incorporated in the 2023-2024 Edition is provided
here. It is a salable document which can be purchased through the
ICAO store.
