Packing Instructions (PI) Selection & Quantity Limitations

Packing Instructions (PI) Selection & Quantity Limitations

Once a dangerous good has been classified, assigned a UN number, and evaluated in Table 4.2 (List of Dangerous Goods), the shipper must determine the exact packaging standard mandated for air transport. Three column pairs in Table 4.2 direct the shipper to a Packing Instruction (PI) in Section 5 of the IATA DGR: Columns G/H for Limited Quantities, Columns I/J for passenger and cargo aircraft, and Columns K/L for cargo aircraft only. In each pair the packing instruction is the first column and the maximum net quantity per package the second, so the packing instructions live in Columns G, I and K. Following the assigned Packing Instruction is a statutory requirement.

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1. Structure & Organization of IATA Packing Instructions

Packing Instructions are structured technical frameworks that list every permissible inner packaging, outer packaging, single packaging option, and maximum net quantity limit for a specific substance or group of dangerous goods. They are organized into numerical ranges designated by Hazard Class:

+-------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|               IATA DGR SECTION 5 PACKING INSTRUCTION RANGES             |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
| HAZARD CLASS                       | PACKING INSTRUCTION NUMERICAL RANGE|
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------+
| Class 1: Explosives                | PI 101 – PI 143                    |
| Class 2: Gases                     | PI 200 – PI 220                    |
| Class 3: Flammable Liquids         | PI 350 – PI 378                    |
| Class 4: Flammable Solids / Wetted | PI 444 – PI 491                    |
| Class 5: Oxidizers & Peroxides     | PI 550 – PI 570                    |
| Class 6: Toxics & Infectious       | PI 620, PI 650, PI 680             |
| Class 7: Radioactive Material      | PI 700 series                      |
| Class 8: Corrosives                | PI 850 – PI 876                    |
| Class 9: Miscellaneous / Batteries | PI 950 – PI 970                    |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------+

Key Class 9 Lithium Battery Instructions

Lithium batteries are governed by specific, highly detailed Packing Instructions in Class 9:

• PI 965: Lithium Ion Batteries (standalone)
• PI 966: Lithium Ion Batteries packed with equipment
• PI 967: Lithium Ion Batteries contained in equipment
• PI 968: Lithium Metal Batteries (standalone)
• PI 969: Lithium Metal Batteries packed with equipment
• PI 970: Lithium Metal Batteries contained in equipment

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2. Navigating a Packing Instruction Table

Each Packing Instruction is divided into clear functional sections that define how a package must be constructed.

Components of a Standard Packing Instruction

1. General Requirements: Mandatory compliance with DGR 5.0.2 rules (closure, compatibility, ullage, absorbent requirements).
2. Inner Packaging Table: Specifies permitted inner receptacle materials (glass, plastic, metal) and maximum capacity per inner receptacle.
3. Outer Packaging Table: Specifies authorized UN specification outer container codes (e.g., 4G fibreboard box, 1A2 steel drum, 3H1 plastic jerrican).
4. Maximum Net Quantity Limit: Caps the total volume or weight of dangerous goods permitted in one completed outer package.

Sample PI Inner vs. Outer Packaging Capacity Matrix

Critical Rule: An outer container may have a physical volume of 100 liters, but if the inner packaging limit specifies a maximum of 5.0 liters per metal inner container and a total net quantity limit of 5.0 liters for Passenger Aircraft, the package cannot exceed 5.0 liters total net quantity.

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3. Passenger Aircraft (Pax A/C) vs. Cargo Aircraft Only (CAO) Quantity Limits

IATA DGR enforces strict quantity differentials between passenger aircraft and cargo-only aircraft. Passenger limits protect passengers traveling in the cabin directly above the cargo hold, whereas Cargo Aircraft Only (CAO) provisions allow higher net quantities and expanded packaging options under specialized crew emergency response protocols.

Comparative Case Study: UN 1263 (Paint, PG II, Class 3)

• Table 4.2 Columns I and J (Passenger and Cargo Aircraft):
  • Column I — Packing Instruction: PI 353
  • Column J — Max Net Quantity per Package: 5 Litres
• Table 4.2 Columns K and L (Cargo Aircraft Only):
  • Column K — Packing Instruction: PI 364
  • Column L — Max Net Quantity per Package: 60 Litres
• Table 4.2 Columns G and H (Limited Quantity):
  • Column G — Packing Instruction: Y341, with the matching net quantity per package in Column H.

UN 1263 (Paint, PG II) Quantity Comparison:

Passenger Aircraft (PI 353):  [ 5 Liters Net Max ]
Cargo Aircraft Only (PI 364): [============================== 60 Liters Net Max ]

Net Quantity vs. Gross Mass Definitions

• Net Quantity (Net Qty): The total weight or volume of the dangerous goods only, excluding the mass of inner receptacles, cushioning, absorbent material, and outer box.
• Gross Mass (G): The total total mass of the completed, ready-for-transport package, including the hazardous contents, inner receptacles, absorbent, cushioning, and outer packaging.
• Table 4.2 Notation: Quantities followed by 'L' represent liters (liquid net volume). Quantities followed by 'kg' represent net weight in kilograms. Quantities followed by 'kg G' represent gross mass in kilograms (common for Class 1 explosives, articles, and dry ice).

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4. Special Packing Provisions (PP / P Codes)

In addition to general rules, specific Packing Instructions contain Special Packing Provisions designated by codes such as PP, P, or TP. These mandatory rules modify or add technical requirements for specific UN numbers.

Where the Extra Requirements Actually Live in the IATA DGR

A frequent cross-modal error is to hunt for "PP"-numbered special packing provisions in the IATA DGR. The PP codes belong to the UN Model Regulations, ADR and the IMDG Code — the IATA DGR does not use them. In air transport, additional requirements reach a package by two routes:

1. Section 4.4 Special Provisions ("A" codes), referenced from Column M of Table 4.2. Example: A1 and A2 open State-approval routes; A67 releases a compliant non-spillable battery from the Regulations. These are entry-specific.
2. The packing instruction itself, which carries its own additional packing requirements immediately after the inner and outer packaging tables — for example the short-circuit protection and rigid-outer-packaging conditions in the lithium battery instructions, or the requirement to enclose glass inner packagings in a leakproof intermediate receptacle.

Read both before finalising the package: the Column M codes and the body of the packing instruction. Neither can be inferred from the other.

Lithium Battery State of Charge (SOC) Mandates

Under PI 965, standalone lithium ion cells and batteries (UN 3480) tendered for air transport must be offered at a State of Charge (SoC) not exceeding 30% of their rated capacity, unless specifically approved by the State of Origin and the State of the Operator. Since Section II was removed from PI 965 and PI 968 in 2022, Sections IA and IB are the only routes available for standalone cells and batteries.