Air Safety
Companies sidestepping lithium battery transport rules
April 1st 2015
Airlines and aircraft manufacturers are intensifying their lobbying for tighter regulations, or even a ban on the transportation of lithium batteries aboard passenger jets. Read More »
The International Coordination Council of Aerospace Industry Associations (ICCAIA), which represents companies such Boeing and Airbus, wants stronger packaging and handling regulations for batteries shipped on air freighters.
International Air Transport Association (IATA) director general and CEO, Tony Tyler, warned at the World Cargo Symposium in Shanghai in March that the rise of e-commerce and the ability of small businesses to export to a global audience had created a significant new market of shippers not necessarily familiar with the rules of shipping dangerous goods.
“In particular, it is lithium batteries that gives us cause for concern,” he said. “The safe transportation of lithium batteries by air is a global challenge, but it is important to note China is a major source of lithium battery production. We need to work hard with all stakeholders in China to tackle this crucial issue.”
He added airlines are seeing some willful non-compliance. “For exa mple, there is a supplier on Alibaba who claimed 300 watt hour batteries would be relabelled as 100 Watt hour and that the goods would be shipped by the standard postal service. We are pressing regulators and the e-commerce sites to be more diligent in making sellers aware of regulations and, as importantly, taking action to address non-compliance,” Tyler said.
Lithium batteries have burst into flames several times in the last year during storage in air cargo warehouses. There was speculated that a shipment of batteries aboard Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 may have had something to do with its disappearance, although there is no definitive proof this was the case. A report on the disappearance released last month claimed the shipment of lithium-ion batteries had not been properly screened before being loaded onto the B777.
However, MAS said the Motorola Penang battery cargo had been inspected in line with procedures “defined by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)”. The batteries were not considered dangerous goods because they were packed in accordance with ICAO regulations.
Nevertheless, there is increasing industry concern about the battery issue, particularly when they are shipped in bulk. An industry position paper, produced by the ICCAIA, which became public in March urges a total ban on bulk lithium battery shipments on passenger planes, and said the threat of fires is “an unacceptable risk”.
It cites recent testing by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) which showed the batteries emit explosive gases when overheated. It is common for thousands of batteries to be packed into a single shipping container and during tests a buildup of gases inside the containers led to explosions and violent fires.
The call for a ban applies to both lithium-ion and lithium metal batteries. Lithium-ion batteries are rechargeable and used in products ranging from cellphones and laptops to power tools. Lithium metal batteries are not rechargeable, and are often used in toys, watches and other products. The call for a ban is only aimed at cargo shipments, not batteries that passengers take on board planes in their personal electronic devices or carry-on bags.
In a presentation last year Airbus engineer, Paul Rohrbach, said an aircraft might be able to withstand a fire generated by a small number of lithium-ion batteries, but a fire involving lots of them could destroy a plane.
At Shanghai conference, Tyler said the safe handling of dangerous goods remained the number one priority of the air cargo industry. “Nothing comes before ensuring the safety of our passengers and crew. The ICAO Dangerous Goods Panel does excellent work keeping ahead of potential threats and challenges, and the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations ensure that airlines and the wider industry are able to take the practical steps to secure their shipments appropriately,” he said.
“So the challenge is not that our regulations are inadequate. The challenge is to ensure that the regulations are understood and followed by shippers across the world.”
Last December, IATA released a free online guide to lithium battery risk mitigation for air transport. The “Lithium Battery Risk Mitigation Guidance for Operators” enables operators involved in transporting lithium batteries to have access to the best safety practices and clear guidelines. It also provides guidance for educating passengers about the risks associated with packing lithium batteries in checked baggage and is available in Chinese.
“Safety isn’t something that only happens at the airport or on an aircraft. It is a shared responsibility. Above all, regulators need to step up and not assume that airlines will do the job for them,” he said.
“They are the key to regulations being followed. The industry is doing what it can, but without oversight, surveillance and, where necessary, enforcement, compliance at the source of the shipment will be limited.”
More than five billion lithium-ion batteries were produced last year. The number is expected to reach more than eight billion annually by 2025.
