The International Air Transport Association (IATA) has launched a new industry certification — the Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) Lithium Battery — to improve the safe handling and transport of lithium batteries across the supply chain.
"Lithium batteries are critical power sources for many consumer goods on which we all rely. And it is vital that we can ship them safely by air either with finished products or as components in global supply chains. That's why we developed the CEIV Lithium Battery certification. It gives shippers and airlines assurance that certified logistic companies operate to the highest safety and security standards when shipping lithium batteries," said Willie Walsh, IATA's Director General and CEO.
IATA said shipments of lithium batteries (alone or with finished products) must comply with well-established global safety standards for how they are manufactured, tested, packed, marked, labelled, and documented.
These requirements are a key element of the IATA Lithium Battery Shipping Regulations (LBSR) and of the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) which combine regulatory and operational input from industry and government experts.
CEIV Lithium Battery Launch Partners
IATA said CEVA Logistics is the first CEIV Lithium Battery certification for its operations at Hong Kong International Airport and at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, following an extensive period of piloting.
"We congratulate CEVA in becoming the first logistics company to achieve CEIV Lithium Battery certification. From cargo handlers, ground handling companies, freight forwarders and shipping companies, the more stakeholders along the value chain which participate in CEIV Lithium Battery, the stronger and more effective it will be for the industry," Walsh said.
"Ultimately, we all want to see a network of CEIV Lithium Battery trade lanes with participants certified at origin, destination and in transit points."
Peter Penseel, COO of air freight for CEVA Logistics, commented: "Our automotive, healthcare and technology customers appreciate our ability to seamlessly deliver responsive logistics solutions no matter the destination or cargo type, like lithium-ion batteries. Our experience in transporting a wide range of batteries made us an ideal partner with IATA in piloting their new CEIV certification."
"IATA continues to lead the way in providing standards, regulations and guidelines to improve overall quality and safety in the air transport industry. This new certification gives customers even more confidence in our ability to safely and reliably transport their lithium-ion batteries," Penseel added.
CEIV Lithium Battery is the latest CEIV certification by IATA. It follows in the footsteps of similar certifications for handling pharmaceutical products, perishable goods and live animals.
