NEW YORK, NY — 29 July 2026 — NCB today announced the launch of OpenDGD, a free and open standard for dangerous goods declaration (DGD) data, now available at opendgd.org.

Developed by NCB’s Hazcheck technology team, OpenDGD provides a standardized way to structure and exchange the data behind a dangerous goods declaration. Currently, dangerous goods declaration data is often recreated and reformatted at each handoff between shippers, freight forwarders, carriers, and other stakeholders, creating inefficiencies and increasing the risk of discrepancies that might lead to unsafe incidents.

OpenDGD addresses this challenge by sharing a format to be created once and exchanged consistently across systems. The standard helps reduce manual re-entry, improve data quality, and support more efficient digital workflows throughout the shipping process.

OpenDGD Version 1.0 includes:

• A JSON Schema covering a full IMDG declaration, boxes 1–22, current to IMDG Code Amendment 42-24.
• A documented, ordered set of rules for building box 14, so data always reads identically.
• A reference API and browser playground that take that data and hand back a finished IMO form as .DOCX or .PDF file.
• Dual open license: CC BY 4.0 (spec) and Apache 2.0 (code) — free to use, no account or engine required for the core service.

OpenDGD provides a common framework for structuring and exchanging declaration data. Validation of dangerous goods information against IMDG Code requirements remains the role of compliance solutions such as Hazcheck Validate.

The standard is based on four decades of Hazcheck technology, utilized by the world’s top carriers and with more than 270 million dangerous goods declarations validated to date. NCB is stewarding the project through an open, no-cost governance model, with contributions and proposed enhancements managed publicly through GitHub, and with a path toward broader, neutral governance as adoption grows. Industry stakeholders benefit from using one standard format as well as from OpenDGD’s shared forum for collaboration.

OpenDGD is available now at opendgd.org.

Media Inquiries & Contact Information

For more information about OpenDGD or NCB, please email services@hazcheck.com, or call our New York Headquarters at +1 (212) 785-8300.

About NCB

NCB (National Cargo Bureau) is an independent not-for-profit organization dedicated to the mission of safeguarding life and cargo through safer, smarter supply chains globally. NCB provides trusted inspection, compliance, and certification services. Through the integration of NCB Hazcheck digital platforms and services, NCB also delivers industry-leading digital solutions for dangerous goods management.

NCB’s Hazcheck Systems supports dangerous goods data documentation and validation, cargo screening, container inspections, and e-learning. NCB was selected by the World Shipping Council as the independent provider of the Cargo Safety Program digital platform.

With operational hubs in the United States, United Kingdom, and Asia-Pacific, and a global distribution network, NCB enables safer, smarter, and more efficient maritime transport worldwide.

Learn more at https://www.natcargo.org, https://www.hazcheck.com, and OpenDGD.