Heightened Scrutiny on Battery Exports

Carriers are responding to growing safety concerns by tightening regulations around the safe transport of batteries, particularly lithium and lithium-ion cells and products containing them. This shift is designed to enhance safety for all cargo and personnel on board vessels.

What Does This Mean for Your Shipments?

If your cargo includes items with built-in batteries (e.g., electronics, power tools, e-bikes), or standalone batteries, you'll notice some key changes:

Mandatory Documentation: For every battery shipment, shippers must now provide a complete and valid set of documents. These are crucial for us to apply with carriers for booking approval:

Material Safety Data Sheet (MSDS): Detailing the battery's properties and safe handling.

UN38.3 Test Report: Evidence that the battery has passed critical safety tests under UN guidelines.

Certificate of Safe Transport by Sea: An official certification from an authorised laboratory or institution confirming the battery's suitability for maritime transport.

Carrier-Specific Requirements & Approved Labs: Major carriers are increasingly implementing their own specific requirements. For example, a prominent carrier recently announced that they will only accept the "Certificate of Safe Transport by Sea" if it is issued by one of a select few authorised laboratories. This highlights the importance of working with suppliers and manufacturers who can provide documentation from these approved sources.

Extended Booking & Transit Times: The increased vetting process for battery shipments means that confirming bookings is now taking longer – typically 3-5 working days for most carriers. This directly impacts lead times, requiring an additional week or more in your overall shipping schedule for battery-containing goods. We strongly advise planning your shipments with this extended timeframe in mind.

Challenges for LCL (Less Than Container Load) Shipments: Smaller, consolidated battery shipments (LCL) are facing more frequent rejections from co-loaders. We are actively developing alternative solutions, including leveraging our own consolidation services where feasible, to mitigate these challenges.

Increased Shipper Responsibility: Carriers are explicitly reiterating that the shipper bears significant responsibility for battery cargo, including the potential consequences of fire or explosion. This underscores the critical importance of accurate documentation, proper packaging, and adherence to all safety regulations. At Woodland Group, we prioritise compliance and will work closely with you to ensure your shipments meet all necessary standards.

What You Can Do:

To ensure smooth and timely processing of your battery shipments:

Communicate Early: Inform your Woodland Group contact as soon as possible if your shipment contains batteries.

Provide Complete Documentation: Ensure all required MSDS, UN38.3 Test Reports, and Certificates of Safe Transport by Sea are readily available and valid, ideally from universally accepted or carrier-specific approved labs.

Plan Ahead: Factor in the extended booking and transit times when scheduling your orders.

Our expert teams across Asia, the USA, and Europe are continuously monitoring carrier policies and regulatory changes. Our priority is to provide clear guidance on required documentation and planning, proactively identifying and implementing alternative routing and carrier options whenever necessary, all to minimise disruptions and keep your supply chain moving efficiently.

Please reach out to your Woodland Group representative for specific guidance on your upcoming battery shipments.