Date: 201910
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Mission: Cargo / Freight / Delivery
Flight phase: Parked
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Dispatcher
Reporter qualification: Dispatch Dispatcher
Human factors: Time Pressure; Other / Unknown; Communication Breakdown
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy
Detector: Person Flight Crew
When detected: Pre-flight; Routine Inspection
Result: Flight Crew Overcame Equipment Problem; General Flight Cancelled / Delayed; General Maintenance Action
Contributing factors: Procedure; Company Policy
Primary problem: Procedure

Narrative: Crew called up to discuss FOM (Flight Operations Manual) 10.XX [country] operations. They had DG (Dangerous Good) on board that was only transiting [through the country]; that came into ZZZ on [company] flight; then moved directly to onward destinations on outbound flight. None of the DG originated in [the country]; per policy. Nor was any of the DG destined to get off in [the country]. It was all transit DG.FOM 10.XX [Country] OPERATIONS has a new change bar ball note that says this:If dangerous goods are flown into [the country]; they may be flown out with a waiver from Flight Safety.According to the statement above; it seems that a waiver is required for this situation; and any situation where DG is flown into [the country]; and then subsequently flown out of [the country].So we got the DO; and DG Administrator on the phone to discuss. No one could really comment much on this new statement. [The administrator] then got [the manager] involved; and I also explained that new statement to [the manager]. [The manager] was also at a loss; so he recommended to get [the] Manager of Flight Safety; involved.I called [Manager of Flight Safety]; and he explained in more detail the interpretation of this new FOM verbiage. [The Manager of Flight Safety] relayed that this change bar is specifically written to abide by [the country] law. This new statement only applies to a situation where a DG shipment was destination (not transit); and for whatever reason; that DG item did not clear customs; and then has to be shipped out--only in that case would a waiver be required. But for normal transit DG thru ZZZ; a waiver remains not required.This new verbiage does not delineate between normal transit DG; or DG that was destined to [the country] and could not clear Customs. It simply says 'DG that are flown into [the country] may be flown out with a waiver'. I called the crew back and explained what [the Manager of Flight Safety] had outlined. The crew accepted this; despite it not written in this manner; then departed. I did ask the crew to file a report; as I will as well.In closing; it would have been helpful if the new verbiage contained more clarity; for example:A waiver from Flight Safety is required in cases where a DG shipment was originally destined to [the country]; but did not clear Customs and had to be reshipped out of [country] on a [company] flight.But there is currently no distinction in what is currently written in the FOM; so therefore the call of ambiguity from the crew. We took a lengthy delay to sort this out and obtain a definitive 'verbal-only' answer from [the Manager of Flight Safety].




Synopsis: Airline Dispatcher reported new 'Dangerous Goods International Cargo Procedure' requires a revision to address transport waiver requirements.