Shipping lithium batteries by sea is not an unfamiliar task for those working in the logistics industry, particularly sea freight field due to various and enormous consumer products are powered by batteries. Because lithium batteries are classified as dangerous goods by sea, so we must ensure such packages are properly prepared and in the condition for transport in accordance with the current edition of International Maritime Dangerous Goods Code (IMDG Code).
Regulations for the carriage of dangerous goods by sea, specifically IMDG Code 2020 Edition, has added the new special provision as SP 390 under UN 3481 and UN 3091. As per SP 390, when a package contains a combination of lithium batteries contained in equipment and lithium batteries packed with equipment, the package shall be marked “UN 3481 Lithium ion batteries packed with equipment” or “UN 3091 Lithium metal batteries packed with equipment”, as appropriate. If a package contains both lithium ion batteries and lithium metal batteries packed with and contained in equipment, the package shall be marked as required for both batteries types. Additionally, the packing instruction P903 has been added a new guidance for shipping lithium batteries corresponding to this new special provision.
Lithium batteries are one type of dangerous goods which are changed and improved every day according to the increasingly diverse needs of people, leading to the increasing of different requirements for packaging. Thanks to this amendment, manufacturers, shippers and freight forwarders now have one more option of packing to optimize the logistics solution by saving cost and also satisfying customer requirements.
We hopes that you have promptly updated this new provision as well as other significant changes to lithium batteries transportation regulations by IMO in 2022.
You may refer VILAS IMDG Code Course for more detailed information about lithium batteries.
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