Shipping lithium cells by air and sea: what actually gets checked

Air freight follows the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, where lithium-ion cells shipped alone are handled under packing instruction PI965. Sea freight follows the IMDG Code. Both require the right UN number, marks and documentation.

Field	What it says
Air	IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations; lithium-ion cells and batteries shipped alone are handled under packing instruction PI965
Sea	IMDG Code, using the same UN3480 / UN3481 classification
State of charge	Air shipments under PI965 are subject to a state-of-charge limit for the higher watt-hour categories — check the current DGR for the threshold that applies
Marking	The lithium battery mark and the Class 9 lithium battery label, as required by the applicable edition
Documentation	UN 38.3 test summary, safety data sheet, dangerous goods declaration where required, and carrier-specific paperwork
Who decides	The accepting carrier has the final word, regardless of what the paperwork says

Specification basis: the standard text and its current edition. Figures and dates quoted on this page are limited to what each document states, and no certificate is claimed beyond what is held on file.

Air: PI965 is the one that binds loose cells

Cells shipped on their own are the most tightly regulated case. Under the IATA packing instructions, loose lithium-ion cells fall under PI965, and the requirements depend on the quantity and the watt-hour rating of what is in the package.

The state-of-charge rule is the one that surprises people: air consignments in the higher watt-hour categories are limited to a fraction of rated capacity, so cells do not leave the factory fully charged for air freight.

Sea: same classification, different rhythm

Sea freight uses the same UN numbers but is governed by the IMDG Code rather than the IATA regulations. Individual carriers and shipping lines apply their own additional requirements, including their own state-of-charge expectations in some trades.

Longer transit and container temperatures make packaging and stowage more of a factor than it is on an aircraft, and damage in transit is handled under marine cargo practice rather than air cargo practice.

What gets a consignment refused

A UN number that does not match the packing configuration, a missing test summary, wrong or absent marks, and a state of charge above what the mode allows. None of these are about the quality of the cell — they are paperwork failures that stop a perfectly good consignment at the gate.

Before you accept a document

How to check it

Confirm the mode first: air and sea impose different requirements on the same cells.
Ask which packing instruction applies to your configuration before booking.
Check the state-of-charge requirement for the mode and the watt-hour category.

Questions

Air & sea transport in practice

Can lithium cells be shipped by air at all?+

Yes, under the IATA packing instructions, subject to quantity, packaging, state-of-charge and documentation requirements.

Is the 30% state-of-charge rule universal?+

No. It applies to air consignments in the categories the current DGR specifies. Sea carriers set their own expectations.

Does the packaging requirement change if cells are inside equipment?+

Yes. Cells contained in equipment are handled under a different packing instruction from cells shipped alone.

What documentation travels with an order?+

UN38.3 test summary and the safety data sheet, matched to the actual shipping configuration. Certificates are quoted only where we hold the document and the model appears in its coverage list — that currently covers Molicel models, and no certificate documents are held for the other three brands.

Does a certificate cover every model from that manufacturer?+

No. A UL recognition is issued under a file number that lists the constructions covered, and a model added later is only covered once the file is updated. The check is whether your model designation appears in that list, not whether the manufacturer holds a certificate at all.

Can cells ship by air?+

Yes, under the applicable packing instruction and with the state of charge limited for standalone cells. The final word rests with the airline and the freight forwarder, and the configuration — cells alone, packed with equipment, or contained in equipment — decides which entry applies.

This page describes how each standard is applied in practice when lithium cells are bought and shipped. It is a summary for procurement, not the standard text itself, and it does not replace your carrier's acceptance check or your own compliance review.

The other standards

UN 38.3 MSDS / SDS All compliance topics Documents on file Transport overview

Need to know what is held for a model?

Send the designation. The answer is which documents exist, which are on file, and which would have to be obtained.

Ask about a model