Dry Ice Packing Group (2025): How to Build, Validate & Scale Frozen Shipping

Last updated: August 8, 2025 • Reading time: 9–12 min

1) What a “Dry Ice Packing Group” Is—and Why It Matters

A Dry Ice Packing Group is a cross‑functional capability that designs, qualifies, and runs compliant frozen shipments at scale. It combines: (1) Regulatory ownership, (2) Thermal design & validation, (3) SOPs & training, (4) Supplier & carrier management, and (5) Operational analytics for melt‑rate and OTD.
This article synthesizes best practices and field patterns highlighted across your three drafts (team roles, SOP templates, procurement and local intent coverage).

2) Regulatory Ground Truth (2025)

Classification & Limits

UN number & hazard class: UN1845 – Carbon dioxide, solid (Dry ice), Class 9; no packing group assigned in the HMR entry.
Air shipments (IATA): Governed by Packing Instruction 954. The IATA 2025 Dry Ice Acceptance Checklist (66th DGR) requires UN number, proper shipping name, and net dry ice weight in kg on the air waybill. Typical quantity limit is 200 kg per package; always check State/Operator variations.
U.S. HMR ventilation & markings: Packages must be designed to vent CO₂; vessel/vehicle markings are specified in 49 CFR §173.217.
Domestic postal reference: USPS PI 9A caps dry ice in domestic air mail at 5 lb (≈2.27 kg) per mailpiece (for context; carriers differ).

Note: Some secondary sources misstate “PG III” for dry ice; this is incorrect for UN1845. Your new SOPs should reflect “Class 9, no PG,” and PI 954 (not “PI9700”).

Passenger baggage exception (for awareness)

Passengers may carry up to 2.5 kg of dry ice in checked/hand baggage under IATA personal baggage provisions, provided venting and marking. This does not apply to cargo operations but helps explain airline‑level constraints.

3) People, Roles & SOP (Your Operating Model)

Core roles

DG Compliance Lead: Owns IATA/IMDG/49 CFR interpretations, change‑log, and acceptance checklists.
Thermal Packaging Engineer: Calculates heat load, selects insulation and dry ice mass, and drives ISTA 7E qualification.
Operations Supervisor: Trains packers, enforces labeling, runs re‑icing cadence, monitors exceptions.
Procurement & Quality: Approves suppliers (dry ice pellets/blocks, VIP sets), keeps SDS and COAs current.
Data & CX: Tracks INP/LCP/CLS on key pages, local SEO footprint, and customer feedback loops.

SOP (excerpt)

Verify contents (non‑DG vs DG) and lane → select PI 954 flow.
Choose box & insulation; add vented primary and overpack.
Compute dry ice mass (see §4).
Pack, mark & label (Class 9 for air) and AWB entries (UN1845 + proper name + net kg).
Acceptance self‑check using IATA 2025 Dry Ice Checklist.
Handover; record net dry ice and time‑to‑melt assumptions.

4) Pack‑Out Design & Validation

4.1 Materials & Configuration

Insulation:
- EPS/EPP/PUR: economical, moderate R‑value; larger ice loads.
- VIP shippers: center‑of‑panel conductivity around 0.004–0.008 W/m·K vs PUR ~0.02–0.03 W/m·K (≈4–6× better), enabling longer holds or smaller cube.
Containment: Use durable corrugated or molded outer, do not seal airtight; the system must vent CO₂.

4.2 How to Size Dry Ice (engineering shorthand)

Heat load ≈ U·A·ΔT·t + infiltration + door/opening losses.
Rule of thumb for sublimation energy: ~571 kJ/kg (derived from NIST ΔH_sub ≈ 25–27 kJ/mol). Use your chamber profile to back‑solve required kg.

4.3 Qualification

Execute lab & field cycles against ISTA 7E (72/144 h heat/cold profiles). For certification or audited documentation, apply Standard 20 with 7E.

5) Acceptance, Marking & Labeling (Air)

Before tender:

Confirm max net dry ice per package against PI 954 (typically 200 kg), check State/Operator variations and aircraft constraints.
On the Air Waybill, include: UN1845, “Carbon dioxide, solid” or “Dry ice,” number of packages, and net weight of dry ice in kilograms.
On package: Class 9 label (air), proper shipping name, UN1845, net kg; ensure venting. (FedEx 2025 job aid reflects the same 200 kg/package ceiling and marking details.)

6) Safety & Training

CO₂ exposure: Follow OSHA exposure guidance—typical PEL 5,000 ppm TWA; STEL ≈ 30,000 ppm (per NIOSH/agency guidance). Ventilate and monitor confined spaces.
Handling: Frostbite risk; use cryo‑gloves and tongs. Never place dry ice in sealed containers.
Air ops: Operators may limit total aircraft dry ice loading; disclose net weights during booking per operator variations.