RBA statement on Boeing’s recommendations to airlines on transporting lithium ion batteries

RBA, the Rechargeable Battery Association, shares Boeing’s goal of improving the safe transport of bulk shipments of lithium ion batteries by air. The association is looking forward to continuing its engagement with Boeing and other aircraft manufacturers, the airline industrym and regulators at the ICAO battery meeting in late July to discuss battery transportation issues, specifically a new and unprecedented lithium ion battery standard and packaging criteria.

Ongoing international regulatory initiatives, along with the development of innovative fire suppression technologies and more robust international enforcement efforts are reducing risk and advancing battery safety. Together, these ambitious efforts to improve transportation safety mitigate the need to prohibit air shipments of lithium ion batteries used daily in thousands of consumer, aerospace, medical, military, transportation and environmental applications.

Safety remains PRBA’s No. 1 priority and our members are proud of their outstanding safety record. We also have supported ICAO’s recent regulatory initiatives on lithium batteries, including new stringent packaging and labelling requirements. Billions of lithium ion batteries have been shipped safely by all modes of transportation over the last 25 years. PRBA is not aware of a single incident involving the transport by air of a fully compliant shipment of lithium ion batteries.

PRBA also remains concerned that certification of aircraft fail to consider the unique hazards associated with the carriage of any dangerous goods, not just those associated with lithium batteries.