Lithium Battery Packing
Care and confidence
The unprotected transportation of lithium batteries has been linked to fires in laptops and even on planes. The safe and responsible handling, packing and shipping of lithium batteries is obviously vital to the security and integrity of your cargo. In the end, our training, our expertise and our experience will result in our skill, care, compliance and attention to detail in dealing with these items, and thus ensure your confidence in using our service in this complex area.
Compliance
Our qualified staff are trained to handle, pack and ship lithium batteries in compliance with the requirements of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) 57th Edition 2016. (We cannot accept defective or damaged batteries, or batteries recalled by the manufacturer; any equipment normally containing lithium batteries must have those batteries removed before being submitted to us.) This page is but a summary – please call us for more details.
Complexity
This is a complex area with different regulations for different numbers of batteries, numbers of cells within the batteries, different watt hour ratings, and so on. Suffice to say that each battery/cell has to be protected against a short circuit and placed in an inner package that completely encloses it, and then placed in a strong rigid outer packaging. There are also stringent regulations on the paperwork required to accompany the shipment, as well as exactly what that paperwork must say.
A battery of advice: aspects to consider
These are the sort of questions that a responsible company would need to ask you, before they quoted on packing and shipping any lithium batteries or cells, or any equipment that is likely to contain them.
What type of batteries are you shipping?
They could be lithium ion, rechargeable batteries or cells found in portable consumer electronics, such as mobiles, laptops, MP3 players, etc., or lithium metal non-rechargeable batteries or cells found in cameras, smoke detectors, etc..
How are you shipping the items?
Are you shipping batteries or cells only, or packed separately but in the same package as the equipment, or are they contained in the equipment?
What is the Watt Hour rating, or capacity of the batteries?
There are different regulations for cells and batteries less than or equal to 2.7 Wh, cells more than 2.7 and less than 20, batteries more than 2.7 and less than 100, and cells more than 20 Wh and batteries more than 100 Wh.
How much lithium does the battery or cell hold?
Again, cells and batteries must be treated differently if they contain less than 0.3 g, cells between 0.3 and 1, batteries between 0.3 and 2, and cells over 1 and batteries over 2 g.
How many batteries or cells does your package contain in total?
Again, there are different requirements for 4 cells or fewer, 2 batteries or fewer, or more than 4 cells and more than 2 batteries.
According to the answers you give, your provider will determine if, where and how the batteries or cells may be packed and shipped. The packing usually includes each battery or cell being protected against short circuit and being placed in inner packaging that completely encloses the battery or cell, and then put in a rigid, robust outer package. The correct documentation and labelling is also essential.
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