ICAO ISSUES LITHIUM ION BATTERY SAFETY ADVISORY NOTICE
May 16, 2016
On April 7, FAA issued a Safety Advisory Notice to advise carriers engaged in commercial transportation of lithium batteries of recent International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) actions to enhance safe transportation of these materials by air.
Based on test data by the FAA and recommendations developed at the ICAO Multidisciplinary Lithium Battery Transport Coordination Meeting(s), ICAO amended the 2015-2016 edition of the Technical Instructions for the Safe Transport of Dangerous Goods by Air (ICAO TI) concerning the transport of lithium ion cells and batteries to include:
- A prohibition on the transport of lithium ion cells and batteries as cargo aboard passenger carrying aircraft. This prohibition applies to lithium cells and batteries not contained in or packed with equipment when transported as cargo and does not include batteries contained in personal electronic devices carried by passengers or crew;
- A requirement for lithium ion cells and batteries to be shipped at a state of charge of no more than 30 percent of their rated capacity on cargo aircraft (such materials are currently forbidden on passenger aircraft); and
- A limit on the number of packages of both lithium ion and lithium metal batteries that may be offered for transportation on cargo aircraft under current provisions for small cells and batteries to not more than one package per consignment or over pack.
The amendments are effective April 1, 2016 and a copy of the Safety Advisory Notice is available at: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/04/07/2016-07936/hazardous-materials-icao-lithium-ion-battery-prohibition-safety-advisory-notice.
If you have any questions, please contact Evelyn Sahr (esahr@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6622) or Drew Derco (dderco@eckertseamans.com, 202-659-6665).
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