Shipper

A shipper is the person whose name appears on the air waybill or shipment record, as the party contracting with carrier for the carriage of cargo. The shipper is in initial possession of the consignment and readies the packages for pickup by the freight forwarder. The shipper is responsible for booking and planning the cargo shipments and for preparing forms certifying that cargo has been packed, labeled and declared according with the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) when shipping dangerous goods.

A pharmaceutical manufacturer ships temperature-sensitive vaccines from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Frankfurt Airport (FRA) under AWB 020-55432187, where Lufthansa Cargo's AWB prefix 020 identifies the carrying airline. The manufacturer appears as the shipper on the air waybill and contracts directly with Lufthansa Cargo for the transportation. A technology company in Los Angeles ships electronic components to Dubai using Emirates SkyCargo under AWB 176-88901234, where the company is listed as the shipper and is responsible for providing accurate cargo descriptions and ensuring proper packaging.

• consignor
• sender
• exporter
• origin party

What forms must a shipper complete when shipping dangerous goods by air?

The shipper must complete and sign a Dangerous Goods Shipper's Declaration (DGD) form certifying that dangerous goods have been packed, labeled, and declared according to IATA DGR requirements. Two completed and signed copies must be handed to the operator, and the form can be submitted electronically as an e-DGD using IATA Cargo XML standard (XSDG).

Can a freight forwarder be listed as the shipper on an air waybill?

Yes, the freight forwarder can appear as the shipper on the Master Air Waybill (MAWB) when they contract directly with the airline, while the actual consignor appears as the shipper on the House Air Waybill (HAWB). The party whose name appears on the air waybill as contracting with the carrier for carriage is considered the shipper for that document.