AirBridgeCargo Airlines (ABC), part of Volga-Dnepr Group, announced that it has successfully obtained approval from the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) for commercial transportation of lithium batteries over 35 kgs which are commonly addressed as SP (Special provision) A99.

In a statement, it said this approval makes the company the first airline to receive this type of approval in China after two years of preliminary works, testing, and close collaboration with stakeholders.

The first commercial shipment of 113 kg was launched on October 20 from Shanghai Pudong Airport (China) to Frankfurt (Germany), for one of the biggest LB manufacturers in China - Contemporary Amperex Technology Co. Limited.

"This is an important event for the LB industry in China and we are honoured to be the first airline to get CAAC approval. The export of the first SP A99 lithium battery shipment is a remarkable milestone in the air logistics industry in China," said Tom Ouyang, AirBridgeCargo regional special cargo manager - Asia & Pacific. "With the successful experience, we are encouraged to support more and more customers on the transportation of this special cargo in future."

ABC noted that lithium batteries are becoming an integral part of a variety of finished products – from consumer electronics to sophisticated equipment, for example EVs, which leads to a gross weight increase of each battery.

With China being the home for major lithium batteries’ manufacturers, there have been disruptions in effective logistics and most customers tended for sea freight.

"The CAAC approval will enable ABC to leverage the growing demand for transportation of SP A99, offering logistic solutions to its existing customers and gaining new ones," AirBridgeCargo said.