The global representative body for the airline industry, the International Air Transport Association (Iata), on Tuesday launched a new industry certification to improve safety in the handling and transport of lithium batteries. This certification is designated the Centre of Excellence for Independent Validators Lithium Battery (CEIV Lithium Battery). Iata also announced that the first CEIV Lithium Battery certification had been awarded to French group CEVA Logistics.

“Lithium batteries are critical power sources for many consumer goods on which we all rely,” observed Iata director-general Willie Walsh. “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.”

Iata had previously developed CEIV certifications for the transport of perishable goods, live animals and pharmaceutical products. This latest CEIV complemented the Iata Lithium Battery Shipping Regulations and the Iata Dangerous Goods Regulations, both of which incorporated operational and regulatory inputs from industry and governments. Lithium battery shipments are meant to comply with global safety standards regarding their manufacture, testing, packing, marking, labelling and documenting.

CEVA Logistics received the new certification for its Hong Kong International Airport and Amsterdam Schiphol Airport operations. The certification followed an extensive piloting period.

“We congratulate CEVA Logistics in becoming the first logistics company to achieve CEIV Lithium Battery certification,” he affirmed. “From cargo handlers, ground handling companies, freight forwarders and shipping companies, the more stakeholders along the value chain who participate in CEIV Lithium Battery, the stronger and more effective it will be for the industry. Ultimately, we all want to see a network of CEIV Lithium Battery trade lanes with participants certified at origin, destination and in transit points.”

“Our experience in transporting a wide range of batteries made us an ideal partner with Iata in piloting their new CEIV certification,” highlighted CEVA Logistics COO Peter Penseel. “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.”