IN Brief:
- ANA Cargo is restricting dangerous goods at Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport from 9–20 November, including specified shipments normally eligible for simplified declarations.
- Additional restrictions from 16–20 November cover perishable freight, priority products, oversized cargo, and most built-up pallets.
- Export shipments require acceptance at least 12 hours before departure, while arriving cargo cannot be collected until at least eight hours after landing.
ANA Cargo has introduced temporary cargo restrictions at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport following instructions from local authorities ahead of a planned APEC meeting. Dangerous goods are affected from 9 November, with additional restrictions on perishable freight, priority products, oversized shipments, and built-up pallets applying from 16 November. The carrier has also changed the acceptance and release times governing cargo moving through the airport.
The restrictions operate across two periods, both defined in China Standard Time. From 9 to 20 November, ANA will not accept dangerous goods on affected flights arriving at or departing from Shenzhen. Between 16 and 20 November, the wider restrictions will apply to additional shipment categories, preventing their acceptance during the specified period.
The dangerous goods prohibition is extensive. ANA states that it includes cargo transported in excepted quantities, dangerous goods that do not normally require a declaration, and shipments treated as not restricted through the application of special provisions. The wording removes several simplified handling arrangements from consideration during the temporary restriction period, making the carrier’s specific acceptance instructions the governing reference for affected bookings.
Dangerous goods classifications normally determine the packaging, marking, documentation, and handling requirements associated with air transport. Some materials qualify for exceptions under particular provisions, but those exceptions do not override a carrier’s separate operational embargo. Shippers must therefore establish both the underlying classification of their goods and whether ANA is accepting that category during the relevant dates.
From 16 November, the carrier will also prohibit all perishable shipments, its PRIO priority products, and other time-sensitive freight on affected Shenzhen flights. The restrictions apply to both arriving and departing movements, rather than only to shipments originating in China. Goods requiring prompt handling or scheduled delivery may consequently need a different service if their planned flight falls within the restricted period.
Another condition concerns cargo dimensions. ANA will not accept shipments exceeding the door dimensions specified for its AKE aircraft container, stated as 138 × 137 × 152 cm. The restriction is based on the physical limits identified in the carrier’s notice, not simply on the overall weight or commercial classification of a consignment. Freight forwarders must check the packed dimensions against the published limit before confirming acceptance.
Built-up pallet shipments, commonly referred to as BUP cargo, are also included in the temporary prohibition. ANA expressly excludes BUP shipments using AKE containers from that restriction. The distinction matters because air freight can be consolidated in different unit load devices, and the acceptance rule depends partly on how the shipment is assembled for transport.
The restrictions extend to some transit cargo moving through Shenzhen. ANA specifies that the affected transit prohibition applies to air-to-air connections, while shipments transferring from aircraft to road feeder services are excluded from that provision. An onward road movement is therefore treated differently from a second flight, although the cargo must still satisfy any other applicable restrictions and handling conditions.
Shipment timing has also changed. All export cargo departing Shenzhen must be accepted no later than 12 hours before the scheduled departure time. The requirement places a defined limit on when goods can enter the handling process, potentially moving warehouse delivery and freight collection arrangements earlier than customers had originally planned.
For imports, ANA states that shipments will become available for collection eight hours or more after the aircraft’s actual arrival. Because the calculation uses actual arrival time rather than scheduled arrival, any flight delay can move the earliest collection opportunity correspondingly later. The rule establishes a minimum handling interval; it does not guarantee that every shipment will be released precisely eight hours after landing.
The revised acceptance and collection windows affect different stages of the cargo operation. Export consignments must be delivered, checked, and accepted sufficiently early to meet the flight’s loading requirements. Inbound freight must pass through the applicable unloading, handling, and release procedures before it can be collected. Restrictions on those processes can affect delivery planning even where the underlying flight schedule remains unchanged.
Shenzhen’s position within the Pearl River Delta manufacturing region makes the restrictions relevant to industrial cargo flows, including components and replacement parts moving between suppliers and production facilities. The new operating conditions may require shipments to be routed through another airport or transferred by road, although the availability of alternatives depends on carrier acceptance, handling arrangements, and the requirements associated with the goods.
ANA’s instructions should not be interpreted as a blanket prohibition imposed by every airline at Shenzhen. Other carriers have their own operating restrictions, and the applicable conditions may differ. A shipment rejected under ANA’s notice cannot automatically be transferred to another carrier without confirming that its classification, dimensions, and required handling arrangements are acceptable.
Existing bookings for the affected period will need to be checked against the two sets of dates. Dangerous goods are restricted throughout 9–20 November, while the additional categories are affected during 16–20 November. Export cut-off and import collection requirements apply to all affected ANA shipments, including cargo that would otherwise remain eligible for carriage.
ANA has attributed the measures to local authority instructions associated with the planned APEC event. Its notice establishes the temporary restrictions through 20 November but provides no forecast of the number of shipments affected or a revised capacity figure for Shenzhen. The published acceptance conditions remain the basis for arranging cargo movements until the carrier issues further instructions.
