LIMA, Peru – The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has unveiled DG Digital, a fully electronic Dangerous Goods Declaration (DGD) solution, during its annual World Cargo Symposium (WCS) in Lima. The tool, integrated into IATA’s DG AutoCheck automated compliance platform, is designed to optimize the acceptance process for dangerous goods shipments, improving efficiency, safety, and accuracy.
DG Digital enables shippers to create and submit declarations for more than 3,800 items — including lithium batteries, explosives, and hazardous chemicals — entirely digitally. By doing so, airlines and logistics providers can share documents instantly, reduce errors, and minimize the risk of shipment rejections.
Eliminating Paper-Based Processes
Currently, IATA reports that 95% of Dangerous Goods Declarations are still received on paper. These must be scanned, converted into PDFs, and manually uploaded to DG AutoCheck for validation — a process that can delay shipments and increase the risk of non-compliance.
With DG Digital, the declaration process is fully digital, from creation by the shipper to validation by the airline. The platform captures all required data and allows electronic exchange with all relevant stakeholders, cross-referencing IATA’s Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) to identify potential issues before a shipment is physically dispatched. This pre-validation reduces costly fines and enhances safety throughout the logistics chain.
Proven Results in Japan
DG Digital was piloted in Japan last year with carriers All Nippon Airways (ANA) and Japan Airlines (JAL), alongside six freight forwarders, including International Cargo Service, JAS Forwarding Japan, MOL Logistics, Nippon Express, Nissin, and Yusen Logistics. The trial achieved a rejection rate of just 0.5% for dangerous goods shipments, a marked improvement over the global average of 4.5% for shipments rejected due to incomplete or inaccurate declarations.
Building on DG AutoCheck Success
Since its 2019 launch, DG AutoCheck has completed over one million dangerous goods checks, with more than a third conducted in the past year alone. The surge reflects growing demand for air transport of hazardous goods, particularly lithium batteries, which contributed to a 17.5% year-on-year increase in 2025, according to IATA CargoIS data.
Frederic Leger, IATA’s Senior Vice President, Product & Services, emphasized the strategic role of DG Digital: “IATA’s Dangerous Goods Regulations aim to reduce complexity and improve safety. DG Digital supports this by digitalizing the shipper’s declaration process, giving all stakeholders — from freight forwarders and ground handlers to airlines — access to the same document. This enables rapid resolution of any documentation issues before physical shipment.”
Digital Innovation Takes Center Stage at WCS
The WCS program in Lima highlighted the growing importance of IT in air cargo, showcasing technologies that enhance operational efficiency. Discussions explored how artificial intelligence (AI) could transform the sector and how IATA might leverage AI within its digital platforms.
In a panel on digitalization, Andress Lam, Head of Cargo Digital at Cathay Cargo, questioned how AI would impact the air cargo market over the next five years. Panelists agreed that while AI will evolve rapidly, human oversight will remain essential in decision-making processes.
DG Digital marks a significant step forward in the digital transformation of air cargo, promising safer, faster, and more reliable handling of dangerous goods shipments worldwide.
