Making dangerous goods transport safer
The international freight transport insurer TT Club is calling for more security and safety in lithium battery supply chains. This statement follows a number of recent fire incidents affecting container transport, ro-ro ships and air cargo movements allegedly involving lithium batteries.
The insurer pointed out that revised regulatory restrictions regarding the carriage by air of lithium batteries, which took effect from 1 April 2022, may result in greater volumes being transported by surface modes.
"Understanding the risks is crucial," commented TT's risk management director, Peregrine Storrs-Fox. "As with many successful technologies, market demand has outpaced the development of safety regulations. However, as technology has advanced, the amount of energy derived from the active material has increased by up to 50%, leading to regulatory mismatch where provisions are essentially framed around mass and energy output."
Lithium batteries are required to be certified to an international standard involving a rigorous series of tests performed by an approved independent testing laboratory, to ensure they can both withstand everyday use through their expected lifetime and the rigours of transport, TT Club demands. (sh)