FEATURE DANGEROUS GOODS
batteries. The carrier added that it supports harmonisation of the existing PHMSA Hazardous Material Regulations with the UN Model Regulations and ICAO Technical Instructions, noting that this approach “should also be combined with a strong emphasis on customer outreach, education and enforcement”. Deutsche Post has a special training
course for the transport of lithium batteries and its dangerous goods safety advisory department even produces a special internal newsletter detailing changes in these regulations. At the AfA, Fried observed that if the
new rules are too punitive it will be the US exporter that loses most, just at the point when the Obama administration is trying to double the country’s exports.
Important back-up David Dudek, vice president automotive in Asia Pacific for logistics services provider Ceva, points out that when and if electric cars do start to become a regular sight on the streets, batteries will mostly move by sea, but air freight could be an important back-up. Most automotive batteries are in fact
If the new rules are too punitive it will be the US exporter that loses most
the less troublesome lithium-ion type, although that will not help matters within the US or on US carriers if the new tougher regulations are brought in, as these do not appear to distinguish between the different types of batteries. “This would have big implications for the industry,” Dudek claimed. Unfortunately, he added, the fact that not all lithium batteries are the same seems to have been missed by those framing the new US regulations. Opinions in
the forwarding industry as to just how receptive the airlines are to dangerous goods vary widely. Sou Ping Chee, vice president, regional air freight procurement - Asia Pacific at Singapore Airlines Cargo, says that airlines in China, for example, are much more receptive to DG shipments than ten years ago. Tough restrictions tempted shippers to be ‘creative’ in describing goods, which hardly improved safety. “Also, most airlines didn't see DG as revenue earners, but that has changed,” he adds. In general though, the big name carriers tend to be much more receptive than the smaller carriers. David Fielder, corporate security
manager Asia Pacific at global forwarder Panalpina, is not entirely convinced that there are any fewer misdeclared dangerous goods than in the past. “If anything, the rules are becoming harder, not easier.” Shippers are still using all sorts of
subterfuge to slip cargo through the net, he believes. “Maybe we at Panalpina have less issues because of our training and because we do careful checks on documentation, but I think it's a rather blinkered view to suggest that there are no problems. And the airlines have become probably more cautious in what they accept.” But he does agree that if airlines
become too draconian in their procedures it could
40 AIR LOGISTICS MANAGEMENT
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