On April 12th, 2014, The ICAO

Dangerous Goods Panel (DGP)

formally decided to prohibit the carriage

of lithium metal batteries as cargo on

passenger aircraft. This decision has still

to be formally ratified by the ICAO Air

Navigation Commission (ANC) and the

ICAO Council. That process is expected

to take place at the ANC in May and

Council in June.

Who will be affected?

As the prohibition rule will only apply

to such batteries when shipped 'by

themselves' it is unlikely to have a wide

effect to shippers on general as it is a

minority that ship batteries only.

However, it may affect:

n High-tech industries

n Retail industries

Lithium Facts

n The term

Lithium

battery refers

to a family

of batteries

with different

chemistries,

comprising

many types of cathodes and

electrolytes.

n Lithium metal batteries

are generally primary (nonrechargeable) batteries that

have lithium metal or lithium

compounds as an anode.

n Lithium-ion batteries (sometimes

abbreviated Li-ion batteries)

are a type of secondary

(rechargeable) battery commonly

used in consumer electronics.

The consequence of the decision is

that, unless the ANC or Council decide

otherwise, lithium metal batteries of all

types, when shipped by themselves, will

be forbidden on passenger aircraft as

cargo as of 1 January 2015. As such we

would expect only UN3090 for Lithium

Metal batteries which are classified as

Class 9 - Miscellaneous dangerous goods

to be affected but not shipment shipped

under UN3091 which is Lithium metal

batteries contained in equipment,

It is clear from the ICAO DGP Meeting that

this is just the first step in looking further

at the risk posed by shipments of lithium

batteries. Indeed long term it may well be

that Lithium metal batteries will not be

allowed on any aircraft, PAX or otherwise.