Guidelines for shipping lithium batteries

Requirements for packaging, labeling and documentation

Due to their chemical properties and energy content, lithium batteries pose a potential safety risk during transportation. Therefore, packages containing lithium batteries must meet specific requirements for packaging, labeling, and documentation. This is particularly crucial in international supply chains where the complete transport route may not always be clear. Even when the main transport is via land or sea, segments of the journey may be conducted by air freight.

As the strictest requirements apply to air freight, the cargo must comply with the internationally applicable regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for the air transport of lithium batteries to ensure safety in all phases of transportation. IATA provides a detailed "Lithium battery guideline". This guideline offers practical instructions on packaging, labeling, documentation, and respective restrictions for different types of lithium batteries (e.g., lithium-ion or lithium metal batteries). For compliance with the Guideline, the test summary report report of the respective battery is required. An overview of the battery test summary reports can be found here.

Always consult the current regulations and legal requirements to ensure that all present requirements are met.