Lithium-based batteries have gained high popularity over the last few years in consumer products as they offer high energy density in a portable solution. But the chemistry of these batteries is far from stable; thus, to regulate and monitor important parameters damaged lithium batteries like temperature, SoH, SoC, and other important factors, a complicated battery management system is required. If there is a short circuit or thermal runaway, then there is a high likelihood that the battery pack will catch fire, or worse, explode.
On grounds of safety, many stringent measures exist as to the transport of the lithium batteries. Lithium-ion batteries, lithium ion cells, lithium iron phosphate, ship lithium batteries, and all others constitute lithium-based batteries to which international standards can be applied. Many of these shipping restrictions and limitations are because of the fact that lithium metal is contained in these batteries.
You cannot simply transport lithium-ion batteries in bulk for business, commerce, or trade or carry lithium-ion-powered devices or battery packs for your private use without proper guidelines. These regulations aim at reducing the hazards related to transporting lithium batteries shipping batteries.
Regulatory Authorities Governing Lithium Battery Shipments

The transport of lithium batteries involves the following guidelines of shipment: transport through land, sea, and air. Due to this, the transport of lithium batteries by air involves adherence to UN ECE regulations and other International Air Transport Association standards. They are required to be identified through specific UN codes for their proper shipping classification.
For sea transport, specific regulations that cover the transport of lithium batteries are provided in the IMDG Code within guidelines developed by the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Regulations for shipping dangerous goods and batteries differ country by country, whereby every country develops its own set of rules applicable regulations regarding the transportation of batteries on land. The regulations are enforced by the Department of Transportation (DOT) in the United States. In Europe, the European Commission (EC) lays down the adopted standards of the shipping industry. At the same time, regional and local carriers may have their individual additional requirements for shipping lithium batteries, which are described in detail in the compliance with the rules.
Hazardous Materials Classification

Lithium-based chemicals are classified under Hazard Class 9: Other Dangerous Substances. This category includes all lithium batteries of any kind in transit through any country via land and sea transport. However, some of the lithium shipments to be shipped through air cargo may also fall under the description of Class 9 based on some characteristics too.
In regard to air transport, lithium batteries are classified under Class 9 depending on lithium metal content, watt-hour rating, and manner of packing. The United Nations (UN) classifications distinguish between lithium metal and lithium-ion batteries and further subcategorize them based on the following factors:

- Some batteries are shipped without accessories, without any equipment to accompany them
- Full batteries charged with equipment
- They are batteries retrievable from the correlated gear.
- Loose packed Lithium-ion batteries with State of Charge (SoC) level of less than or equal to 30%

However, lithium batteries do not fall only under Class 9. Batteries of lithium metal packed with or inside equipment containing not more than 2 grams of lithium, or batteries of lithium cells not containing more than 1 gram of lithium do not need a Class 9 hazardous material label. Equally, lithium-ion batteries, which ship lithium ion batteries are packed with lithium metal cells or in with apparatus, with cell capacity not exceeding 20 Wh or batteries not exceeding 100 Wh, are not classified as Class 9. Specifically, these batteries do not fall within the definition of hazardous material.
Shipping Limitations
Lithium batteries are restricted based on other conditions such as weight, number of cells, and mode of transport. These limitations are outlined as follows:
Loose Lithium Metal Batteries by air

Loose lithium metal batteries that are not embedded in any equipment or power tools or devices are, however, regulated due to the inherent hazards associated with the product. These include:
- Passenger Aircraft: Small lithium metal batteries that are unpackaged cannot be carried in the passengers’ aircraft’s cargo space due to the higher risk of fire or thermal runaway during flight.
- Cargo Aircraft: In spite of the fact these batteries are allowed to be shipped through the cargo aircraft, they require Class 9 and Cargo Aircraft Only markings. If batteries contain lithium in excess of 2 grams or cells in a package contain more than 1 gram of lithium, the package weight cannot exceed 35 kg; however, an unlimited number of packages are allowed.
- Lower Lithium Content: For batteries having lithium weighing less than 2 grams or cells having lithium content below 1 gram, a maximum weight of up to 2.5 kg per package is allowed for high volume consignment with no restriction on the number of packages, but… Weight not to exceed 2.5 kg, and for low quantity shipments, the maximum cell or batteries allowed per package is 8 cells or 2 batteries.
Loose lithium metal batteries are banned from being carried in the hold of passengers’ airliner. Importantly, they have to be marked as Class 9 and Cargo Aircraft Only. Batteries containing 2 grams or more of standalone lithium ion batteries or cells with 1 gram or more of lithium ion may not weigh more than 35 kg in the whole package, and there is no restriction on the number of packages.

As for small batteries, with less lithium cell quantity, the battery weight limits within each package must not exceed 2.5 kg. With a very high volume of shipment, there is no weight limitation on the package, but in a very low volume of shipment, the package has not more than 2.5 kg and has 0.3 grams or less lithium in the cells. Hazardous cells or batteries to be shipped domestically shall not exceed 48 volts, and if the cells do, the shipments can only contain a maximum of eight cells or two batteries in a package. In these circumstances, only one package may be shipped at a time.
Lithium Batteries Packed with Equipment

As for the standard shipping of lithium metal batteries that are packed with equipment, each package of them cannot weigh more than 5 kg for sending by a passenger aircraft. This limit remains irrespective of the amount of lithium metal incorporated in the battery manufacturers the positive electrode active material. However, cargo aircraft may ship packages transporting lithium ion batteries up to 35 kg for batteries with more than 2 grams of lithium or cells containing more than 1 gram of lithium with no limit on the shipping of packages.
Lithium Metal Batteries Inside Equipment

Lithium metal batteries installed in the electrical equipment, whether spare batteries or otherwise, are also restricted to light weight, not more than 5 kg per package in passenger aircraft. For battery operated vehicles, the weight limit is 35 kg per package for batteries containing more than 2 grams of lithium or cells containing more than 1 gram of lithium, with no quantity limit per consignment.
Loose Lithium-Ion Batteries

Portable, non-rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are also banned from carriage in the passengers’ cabin unless certain conditions are met; the batteries must not have a capacity of more than 100 mAh or be incandescent and the rechargeable batteries must also not exceed 30% charge. Any battery shipped in these batteries must also be properly marked with the Class 9 marking. Several limitations apply to low-volume shipping, where there is no limit to the number of packages a client can ship, but there are strictly enforced weight and volume limits.
For lithium-ion batteries with cells standalone batteries that do not exceed 20 Wh or batteries of 200 Wh and above individual capacity, the maximum weight for packaging per battery is 35 kg. For li ion with cells and batteries rated at or below 20Wh or 200Wh, the following restrictions apply:

- High-volume shipping: 10 kg per package.
- Low-volume shipping: 5 kg per package for individual cells with capacity less than 2.7Wh; for cells with capacity more than 2.7Wh, the maximum shipping quantity allowed is 8 cells or 2 batteries.
The weight limitations for loose lithium-ion batteries are as follows:
- Cells ≥ 20Wh or batteries ≥ 200Wh: 35 kg per package.
- Cells ≤ 20Wh or batteries ≤ 200Wh (high-volume shipments): 10 kg per package.
- Cells ≤ 20Wh or batteries ≤ 200Wh (low-volume shipments):
- 5 kg per package for individual cells rated less than or equal to 2.7 Wh.
- The limit is 8 cells or 2 batteries per package for packages that exceed 2.7 Wh.
Such restrictions in the shipping process help to guarantee the safety of the lithium-based batteries’ transport and delivery.
Lithium-Ion Batteries Packed with or Inside Equipment

The shipping standards of shipping lithium ion batteries when packed with, contained in, shipped together with, or packed in the same package with other commodities are similar to those of lithium metal batteries. Where the rating is 20W.h. or above for cells or 200W.h. or above for batteries, then a Class 9 hazardous material label is needed. These batteries have a 5 kg weight limit per package when shipped on passenger aircraft and not in bulk. However, when shipped by cargo aircraft, its allowed package weight limits rise to 35 kg.

If the battery has a rating of 20Wh or less, or the battery is an ICAO exempt battery with a rated capacity of 200Wh or less, the weight limit to be transported by both passenger and cargo airlines is 5 kg per package. In any case, there are no limitations to the full carry on baggage amount of packages that can be delivered.
General Packaging Requirements
Shipping of lithium batteries requires proper packaging to avoid any disastrous occurrence during the shipment. Here are some common guidelines:
Packaging for loose batteries:
Other lithium batteries must be packed in such a manner that will prevent short circuits. This usually includes putting them in insulating materials, making sure that terminals are isolated, and having the batteries contained in tough outer casing.
Packing with Equipment:
If lithium batteries are sent into or accompanied by equipment, the pieces of equipment must be well secured in the packaging while the battery terminals are insulated. The packaging should afford some measure of movement with respect to the outer packaging, during transport and distribution.
Marking and Labeling:
When used in any of the transportation modes, lithium batteries should be well labeled. For air transport, labels must be marked as Class 9, while for cargo aircraft the Cargo Aircraft Only label is required. Moreover, there are warnings to specify that the package contains lithium batteries; hence, the package should be handled carefully.
Special Considerations for International Shipping lithium batteries
International Regulations:
Lithium battery shipping regulations has some differences by region and type of transport; IATA has guidelines for airline transport, IMO for seaborne transport, and for land transport, the regulating body could be local.
Import/Export Restrictions:
Some countries have specific regulation or complete prohibition of importing or exporting lithium batteries because of risks. However, there are different precautions depending on kinds of products, and it is necessary to check the particular regulation for the definite country.
Conclusion
Therefore, the increased demand for lithium batteries for various products such as electric cars, portable devices mobile phones, and renewable energy systems has resulted in the formulation of rigid policies that have enhanced the safe transport of lithium batteries. Lithium batteries are a potential fire hazard or thermal runaway, so the United Nations, IATA, and the International Maritime Organization provide a set of rules on the shipping of the same. These regulations aim at the proper shipping name reducing risks associated with lithium batteries with both lithium-ion and lithium metal during transport.
The measures on the maximum weight, size, and number of lithium batteries per shipment focus on the risks electrical hazards that these batteries present. Different regulations apply with regards to the type of lithium battery shipping regulations used, the mode of transportation, and whether the batteries come along with equipment or whether they are shipped loose. For instance, loose lithium metal batteries are not permitted for carriage on passenger aircraft, while lithium-ion batteries have particular charging conditions: they can be carried provided they do not exceed 30% state of charge, and they must not be allowed to short circuit lithium battery mark.
As the use of lithium batteries increases daily in portable devices and energy storage systems, there is a need to learn the current shipping regulations for lithium batteries and standards set by various carriers to have a safe and efficient means of shipping lithium batteries. Through the adherence of the right procedures and demystifying the process of shipping lithium batteries, everyone minimizes the occurrence of mishaps, observes the legal requirements of different countries and regions, and enhances the safe handling compliant transport of lithium batteries in the whole supply chain dangerous goods.