【international logistics network】New Specifications for the Air Transport of Lithium Battery

        The air transport of lithium batteries has been the emphasis and difficulty in the current management of air transport of dangerous goods. To strengthen the safety management for the mail air transport of lithium batteries, and to secure the safety and smooth for the mail air transport of lithium batteries, the Civil Aviation Administration and the National Post Office jointly issued the " Regulations for the  Mail Air Transportation of Lithium Batteries" recently. The "Regulations" is suitable for the activities that the postal enterprises delivery the lithium batteries by air transport. The relevant specifications for the mail air transport of Lithium batteries in China are further clarified.

        The main contents of the speculations include the requirements on which the postal enterprises deliver the lithium batteries mail by air , the condition of allowing to deliver air lithium batteries, the program requirements on which the postal enterprises control the mail of dangerous goods into the air transport, the training outline requirements about the air transport of dangerous goods , etc.The speculations stipulate that the postal enterprises are allowed to deliver the lithium batteries mail by air should meet the requirements; the lithium batteries must be installed in the equipment; the watt hour rating of lithium-ion battery core shall be no more than 20 wh; the watt hour rating of lithium-ion battery shall not exceed 100 wh; the lithium content of the lithium battery core shall be no more than 1 g; the total lithium content of the lithium metal or lithium alloy shall not exceed 2 grams.The speculations also require that each lithium battery core or the type of lithium batteries shall meet each test requirements according to part Ⅲ section 38.3 in "Manual of Test and Standard ". Whether the lithium battery core can pass the experiment, the lithium battery must pass the test.According to the regulation,  lithium battery core and lithium batteries mailed by air must be prepared to prevent short circuit.

        According to the speculations, before the postal enterprises decide to mail the lithium batteries by air, the program that control the dangerous goods into air transport and the dangerous goods training outline must be set as well as assessed and approved by Civil Aviation Administration.Now China Post Group, and its wholly owned companies and holding companies providing the postal service have not yet formulated above program and outline, so it still shall not be allowed to mail any lithium batteries by air in China.