february2023 - 25

I
t is well known that lithium batteries
are now used to power a
wide variety of consumer goods,
ranging from mobile phones to
children's toys as well as cars and
e-bikes. In the air cargo business,
there are some peculiarities for the
safe transfer of lithium batteries.
To safely execute the transport of
these goods, members of the industry
have adopted the International Air
CEIV Li-batt entails detailed
documentation of all procedures,
and then external auditing of
these processes and all facilities
by IATA to ensure they are totally
compliant.
Transport Association's (IATA) Center
of Excellence for Independent Validators
(CEIV) Lithium Batteries certification
program.
Accreditation System
Though widely used, most people are
not aware that lithium batteries are
dangerous goods that can pose a safety
risk if not prepared in accordance with
transport regulations, affirms Yaniv
Sorany, senior manager of certifications
at IATA.
" CEIV Lithium Batteries (Li-batt)
is a certification program designed
by IATA to enable the supply chain
of lithium battery products such as
shippers, freight forwarders, cargo
handling facilities and airlines to meet
their safety obligations by complying
with the applicable transport regulations, "
he says.
Lithium batteries are becoming the
preferred energy source for consumer
electronics and mobility products,
notes Bob Chi, CEO of gateway services
at SATS.
" For us as an air cargo handler, such
growth brings business opportunities
as well as the need for robust risk
management. Safety, which is a top
priority for the industry, has become
even more important. Lithium battery
shipments from improperly packed
items to mislabeled packages, can
pose a safety risk to aircraft, passengers
and crew members, " he says. " We
are proud to be the first ground handler
in the world to receive the IATA
CEIV Li-batt accreditation, which is a
reflection of the care and diligence we
accord while handling shipments of
dangerous goods. "
Indeed, according to Wilson Kwong,
chief executive of Hactl, lithium batteries
are becoming an increasingly
prevalent commodity within air cargo.
" The risks arise mainly from mishandling,
as severe impacts have been
known to cause fires. Therefore, a
rigid and comprehensive procedural
regime is essential to ensure safety
on the ground and in the air, " he says.
" IATA is best placed to devise and
implement the necessary standards,
firstly because it works closely with all
the major carriers and understands
all aspects of aviation safety and
practicality, and secondly because
any IATA initiative immediately benefits
from critical mass that facilitates
uniformity.
" It is better to have a single, uniform
standard with which everyone agrees
and complies. As an accredited provider,
Hactl can provide full impartial
assurance to its customer airlines that
the ground handling aspects of their
carriage of lithium batteries is legal
and safe, " Kwong adds.
Accreditation Process
Concerning the accreditation process,
Sorany explains that the program is
based on the IATA Dangerous Goods
Regulations (DGR) and the IATA
Lithium Battery Shipping Regulations
(LBSR).
To achieve the certification, Sorany
says companies shall ensure that their
personnel will successfully complete
the Lithium Batteries Logistics Safety
Management training to demonstrate
that they have the knowledge and
skills to transport lithium batteries,
followed by an assessment and validation
audits conducted by independent
validators of the company system, process,
documentations and operations
to determine compliance of the organization
with the criteria set forth in the
CEIV Lithium Batteries audit checklist
and continuance improvements.
Like with all CEIV accreditations,
CEIV Li-batt entails detailed documentation
of all procedures, and
then external auditing of these processes
and all facilities by IATA to
ensure they are totally compliant
with the IATA handling procedures
relating to lithium batteries in particular
and hazardous cargo in general,
explains Kwong.
" Given that Hactl was already experienced
in this area, and it operates its
own IATA-accredited in-house training
center for DGR cargo, the process
of preparing for application through
to receiving accreditation was quite
straightforward, " he says.
February 2023 || AviationPros.com || 25
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february2023

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