Attention foreign trade and freight forwarders! Starting from January 1, 2020, a new wave of regulations has been introduced for the air transportation of lithium batteries. It is recommended that shippers and freight forwarders involved in the shipment of lithium batteries inform each other!


China is the largest producer and important market for lithium batteries, but due to lithium being a metal that is particularly prone to chemical reactions, it is prone to elongation and combustion. Therefore, lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods, and improper packaging and transportation can lead to combustion and explosion accidents.


On August 27th, an Air China A330 plane caught fire while passing over at Beijing Capital Airport... It is suspected that the explosion of lithium battery cargo caused a fire in the cargo warehouse, and the Air China plane worth 1.7 billion yuan was destroyed in an instant! Accidents caused by non-standard packaging and transportation of lithium batteries are receiving increasing attention, and international regulatory agencies are becoming increasingly strict, raising operational requirements and constantly modifying regulations and rules. The mandatory action to ensure the safe transportation of lithium batteries has been listed as one of the three important measures urging global air cargo to take. Recently, the Civil Aviation Administration of China has put forward regulatory requirements for the UN38.3 test outline required for lithium battery air transportation starting from January 1, 2020.


The 2019-2020 version of the International Civil Aviation Organization's Technical Regulations for the Safe Air Transport of Dangerous Goods stipulates that manufacturers and subsequent sellers of lithium battery cells or lithium batteries produced after June 30, 2003 must provide the test summary specified in Part 3, Section 38.3, Paragraph 38.3.5 of the United Nations Manual of Tests and Standards (hereinafter referred to as UN38.3 Test Summary). This UN38.3 test summary must be provided starting from January 1, 2020. In addition, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Dangerous Goods Regulations 60th edition also requires the transportation of lithium batteries: starting from January 1, 2020, lithium cell or lithium battery manufacturers and subsequent distributors must provide a summary of their UN38.3 testing.


Although the regulations require that the "UN38.3 Test Summary" be provided to carriers (including airlines, shipping companies, etc.) and other relevant personnel before the transportation of lithium batteries starts on January 1, 2020, based on experience, some carriers will execute it in advance, so it is necessary to pay attention to and understand it early. It is recommended that shippers and freight forwarders involved in the transportation of lithium batteries inform each other.