Shipping Lithium Batteries - the regulations change in 2014

[NM]

Just received this email from Borderlinx regarding shipping products that include lithium batteries. While this specifically applies to freight shipments, it refers to the new rules from IATA that apply from 1st January 2014 and I assume also apply to carriage of dangerous good in checked luggage on a passenger aircraft.

Dear xx_x,

As of the 1st of January, 2014, the regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) will change regarding lithium batteries.

From that date onwards, some lithium batteries or combinations of batteries will be considered "dangerous goods" and cannot be shipped.
To avoid disappointment and inconvenience, be sure to check your product specifications carefully against the restrictions summarised below before you purchase. This information will also be published as an FAQ on our website.


LITHIUM BATTERIES

IMPORTANT! As you may know, there is a risk of certain lithium batteries catching fire. New regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) in effect as of 1st January 2014 restrict the shipment of certain specific types of lithium batteries, which are considered "dangerous goods" - which we do not handle. Although not all lithium batteries are affected by these regulations, be sure to check your product specifications carefully against the restrictions below.

In general, lithium ion batteries with laptops, cameras, mobile phones and similar products will be limited to one battery in the product and one spare battery. But don't rely on that rule of thumb; it's important to check the specifics of the battery or batteries you want to ship - before you purchase the product.


NEW IATA RESTRICTIONS FROM 1.1.2014:
The restrictions are based on the "Wh" value. "Wh" means Watt hours.

The following batteries cannot be shipped:
LITHIUM ION BATTERIES with
• over 2.7 Wh and less than 100 Wh per battery and more than two batteries per box, OR
• over 2.7 Wh and less than 100 Wh per battery and more than 8 cells per package.

LITHIUM METAL BATTERIES with
• over 0.3g lithium and less than 1g lithium per battery and more than two batteries per box, OR
• over 0.3g lithium and less than 1g lithium per battery and no more than 8 cells per box.

HOW TO CALCULATE WH VALUE
mAh = milliamps
V = volts

mAh/1000 x V = WH



OTHER RESTRICTIONS AND LIMITATIONS:
We will not ship any lithium batteries (ion or metal type) which are confirmed or suspected to be defective or damaged.
We will screen the batteries in all electronic items at our export facility and will not be able to ship any items to you that fall into the above categories. That may mean that the product has to be returned to the merchant or disposed of. If a prohibited battery is packed with other items, it might be possible for us to remove it and ship you the other items in the package.
More information is contained on these restrictions at IATA - Lithium Batteries


If you have any products in your suite that may be affected by the regulation changes, please ensure you ship them now.

The Borderlinx Team

 

[RooFlyer]

Interesting ... thanks NM.

Only peripherally on-topic (And NM will deal with if necessary!) ... In another thread a while back some-one said they had been bailed up at HBA's X-ray security point for having loose AA type batteries in their carry-on. I replied that I nearly always carry spare batteries in my laptop bag through HBA, but hadn't had that problem, possibly because the batteries were tucked away in a bag pocket, and not 'loose'.

Now at HBA check-in (we still have real people ) we are getting asked if there are loose batteries in the checked luggage.

Anyone else getting a 'crack-down' on regular AA or AAA type batteries in either carry-on or checked luggage?

 

[CMak]

Any idea if lithium batteries in an attached medical device will be a problem?
Cmak

 

[NM]

Any idea if lithium batteries in an attached medical device will be a problem?
Cmak

The type of device makes no difference. Its all about the capacity of the batteries being carried and whether the batteries are installed in a device or spare batteries separate from the device. But so long as less than 100WH and installed in the device, they can be carried as checked or carry-on items. If not installed in the device, they can be carried as carry-on but not in checked luggage.

Last time I purchased Lithium Ion batteries, it was 12 x 520mAh 9V cells, so a total of 6.24AH or 56WH so well under the 100WH limit. They were shipped from Melbourne to Brisbane with Aussie Post so I have no idea if they came by road or air.

The following table from the IATA site linked in the initial post in this thread gives a good summary of the limits. Note that this is IATA limits and an airline may choose to impose their own more restrictive limits.



As for loose batteries, I always use Procell batteries and they come in protective packaging. AA and AAA are in individual cardboard packs of 4 batteries, and 9v have a plastic cap over the terminals. I buy them in bulk (cartons of 72 x AAA, 144 x AA and 72 x 9v) so always have plenty on hand at home. I just grab a new box of 4 AAA and put it into my "cables" zip-up bag so I will always have sufficient to keep my Bose QC15s running for the whole trip.

 

[Robbi]

Interesting ... thanks NM.

Anyone else getting a 'crack-down' on regular AA or AAA type batteries in either carry-on or checked luggage?

Nope. I've travelled for the last 3 years with a set of 4 AAA's for my noise cancelling headphones in my backpack and not been queried once. Also always travel with spare camera and/or GoPro batteries in my gadget bag in my backpack and not been queried about them either.

 

[The Rok]

I have carried 3 Makita 3ah batteries in my hand luggage on QF loads of times, never been questioned.

 

[NM]

I have carried 3 Makita 3ah batteries in my hand luggage on QF loads of times, never been questioned.

What voltage are they? The new regs would allow only 2 "spare" batteries if the total WH rating was between 100 and 160WH. 3 would be ok if total is under 100WH. At 3Ah each, anything over 12V and you exceed 100WH. For 2 batteries, being under the 160WH limit, would allow them to be up to 26V, 3AH batteries, making a total of 156WH for 2 batteries. The brand of the batteries is of course irrelevant.

I am not sure if the airport security screening is tasked with enforcing IATA regulations related to the carriage of dangerous/hazardous goods, but I would expect that would be appropriate for them to do so. Such batteries may not be considered weapons, but they have been proven to be dangerous/hazardous goods and hence the updated regulations.

 

[cove]

I checked my Cpap.com lithium batteries for my Resmed sleep machine and they can still go in the cabin seeing they are under the new limits.

 

[The Rok]

What voltage are they? The new regs would allow only 2 "spare" batteries if the total WH rating was between 100 and 160WH. 3 would be ok if total is under 100WH. At 3Ah each, anything over 12V and you exceed 100WH. For 2 batteries, being under the 160WH limit, would allow them to be up to 26V, 3AH batteries, making a total of 156WH for 2 batteries. The brand of the batteries is of course irrelevant.

I am not sure if the airport security screening is tasked with enforcing IATA regulations related to the carriage of dangerous/hazardous goods, but I would expect that would be appropriate for them to do so. Such batteries may not be considered weapons, but they have been proven to be dangerous/hazardous goods and hence the updated regulations.

18V 3Ah Batteries.

 

[NM]

18V 3Ah Batteries.

That makes each one 54WH so two actually put you into the 100-160WH range, which limits to 2 spares to be carried on board and would technically require operator approval.

However, the limits are defined in terms of "net lithium batteries per package", so perhaps placing one in each of separate carry-on bags (packages??) may mean you are under the limit with only 54WH per package.

Of course the "spare" batteries either need to be in their original protective packaging, have their terminals taped over to prevent the possibility of shorting, or be stored in individual plastic bags.

 

[RooFlyer]

Over at 'Ask the Pilot", JB747 made the comment:

Lithium batteries are contained in just about every modern consumer device. Cameras, laptop, iDevices, non iDevices, pacemakers. Everything. The only solution to not allowing them on board would be to ban the carriage of any of these devices. That would work.

As a general rule, the batteries are reasonably safe whilst in these devices. The biggest issue with them comes up when they are being charged, when they can overtemp, and catch fire. Your laptop or iPhone will immediately end up in a bucket of water in that case.

Spare batteries are another animal entirely. Basically large ones are not allowed on aircraft at all. Smaller ones must be packaged (that's why they all come with some form of terminal covers), and are to be carried in the cabin, where if something does happen they are at least accessible. All of this is contained on the back of the ticket...the part that nobody reads.

Lithium batteries, as cargo, are banned from airliners, and are currently being blamed for at least two recent 747 freighter losses.

Are my standard AA 'Alkaline batteries' lithium-ion? Lithium isn't an 'alkaline earth' element, so I've always assume that alkaline batteries are different from lithium-ion type.

 

[jb747]

I have carried 3 Makita 3ah batteries in my hand luggage on QF loads of times, never been questioned.

Well over the limits. Tool batteries of this sort are exactly the sort of thing they're worried about. Just go and short a couple of the pins with a nail, and see what I mean....

Don't do it in your house.

 

[The Rok]

Well over the limits. Tool batteries of this sort are exactly the sort of thing they're worried about. Just go and short a couple of the pins with a nail, and see what I mean....

Don't do it in your house.

I have witnessed a Makita battery explode while on charge, not a pretty sight. I had mine wrapped in several layers of thick cardboard paper, individually wrapped of course. Security make me take them out for a search but that's it.

 

[petercr]

Toll Priority (as of last month) won't ship any device by air-freight that contains an Li-Ion battery even if it meets the above mentioned limits unless an MSDS for the battery is included with the shipment. It's kind of crazy for the company I work for as we bring into the country (by IATA-controlled air-freight) equipment that contains a single 1/2AA-sized battery (soldered to a pcb) for back-up purposes without any problems and yet we can't ship them within Australia by air unless they have that paperwork. The equipment travels in what's effectively a medium sized hard-sided aluminium photo-case. What should be an overnight delivery from MEL-BNE has to go by road taking 2-3 days and up to 5-6 days if we have to 'ship' to a customer in CNS, TSV or PER.

 

[jb747]

Toll Priority (as of last month) won't ship any device by air-freight that contains an Li-Ion battery even if it meets the above mentioned limits unless an MSDS for the battery is included with the shipment. It's kind of crazy for the company I work for as we bring into the country (by IATA-controlled air-freight) equipment that contains a single 1/2AA-sized battery (soldered to a pcb) for back-up purposes without any problems and yet we can't ship them within Australia by air unless they have that paperwork. The equipment travels in what's effectively a medium sized hard-sided aluminium photo-case. What should be an overnight delivery from MEL-BNE has to go by road taking 2-3 days and up to 5-6 days if we have to 'ship' to a customer in CNS, TSV or PER.

Perhaps the difference is that they're coming into Oz on freighters, but being moved internally on passenger aircraft.

 

[petercr]

Nope, being able to see the airway bills they come into the country on, they're commercial flights (EK, QR or VN depending on various factors) and I would have thought the Toll flights (esp between major centres) would have been dedicated freighters

(I think our freight-forwarder may also at some stage have used some of your flights for cargo JB esp QFA10)

 

[jb747]

Nope, being able to see the flight manifests they come into the country on, they're commercial flights (EK, QR or VN depending on various factors) and I would have thought the Toll flights (esp between major centres) would have been dedicated freighters

(I think our freight-forwarder may also at some stage have used some of your flights for cargo JB esp QFA10)

Must admit that I don't see any issues with what you're doing, especially if new items packaged by the maker.

 

[petercr]

Same here... and it's frustrating having to tell our customers as the devices in question are test equipment that are generally needed at short notice. We've now given our warehouse an MSDS to send with any more of the same equipment that needs to be air-freighted. Lets hope the factory overseas doesn't change the battery they use... (or don't tell us)

 

[burnt]

I was checking in at VA counter in Rocky on Christmas eve, large sign on front of counter stated "NO SPARE BATTERIES (any kind) to be in checked luggage, and that they must go into carry on.

 

[Robbi]

I was checking in at VA counter in Rocky on Christmas eve, large sign on front of counter stated "NO SPARE BATTERIES (any kind) to be in checked luggage, and that they must go into carry on.

I guess they're easier to deal with if something happens.