BIFAlink


Policy & Compliance


New air cargo rules on lithium batteries and dangerous goods


The International Civil Aviation Organization has backed International Air Transport Association proposals to segregate shipments containing lithium batteries and those containing certain classes of dangerous goods


In recent years BIFAlink has reported on a series of important regulatory changes regarding the transport of lithium batteries on aircraft. These changes followed investigations into


several incidents where fire had broken out in the area of aircraft where dangerous goods, including lithium batteries, were stored. In one particular incident it was found “with reasonable certainty” that the fire which caused the crash originated in a cargo container that held thousands of lithium batteries. Furthermore, in each incident it was quite clear that the time from ignition to uncontrollable fire was quite short. In a more recent development, the


International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has backed International Air Transport


Association (IATA) proposals to segregate shipments containing lithium batteries and those containing certain classes of dangerous goods in ULDs and cargo compartments. The move follows the investigation into the 2011 Asiana 991 crash, which stimulated further debate over the carriage of lithium batteries.


Cargo fire In that particular case, the Boeing 747-400F cargo flight was carrying 58 tonnes of general cargo, including 400 kg of lithium batteries, paint, resin solution and other liquids. The aircraft crashed after crew reported a fire in the cargo compartment, and it has since been established that the crash occurred


just 18 minutes after the fire was detected. The investigation revealed extensive fire damage in the cargo hold. As a result of that investigation, aviation officials recommended that lithium batteries and flammable liquids should not be carried in close proximity. From this, the debate has evolved, eventually


leading to the decision to prevent lithium batteries and other dangerous goods being carried in the same ULDs or cargo compartments. The new segregation requirements for lithium batteries (UN 3480 and UN 3090 only) apply to most explosives, flammable gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids and oxidising substances.


New proposals The new proposals are recommended as of 1 January 2018, but will not become mandatory until 1 January 2019. Further details of the changes and exact details of the dangerous goods classes and divisions concerned, can be found at: www.iata.org/whatwedo/cargo/ dgr/Documents/dgr-59-significant-changes.pdf The 59th edition of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations incorporates all amendments made by the IATA Dangerous Goods Board and includes addenda issued by ICAO to the 2017-2018 edition of the Technical Instructions. BIFA also understands


that work is under way on the development of new lithium battery classifications and a


packaging standard that may see their carriage once


more permitted on passenger aircraft. However, it is likely to take somewhere in the region of four years before these new classifications can be implemented. More information and general guidance material on the shipping of lithium batteries can also be found on the IATA website: www.iata.org/


whatwedo/cargo/dgr/ Pages/lithium- batteries.aspx 12 January 2018


www.bifa.org


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