The worldwide grounding of Boeing’s 787 - Dreamliner has
once again brought the lithium ion battery back into the spotlight. Lithium batteries are everywhere – mobile
phones, laptops and cars – however their propensity to occasionally burst into
flames has had disastrous results for some airfreight providers.
In 2010, investigators blamed a cargo-hold full of lithium
ion batteries for a fire that caused a UPS-operated 747 to crash shortly after
takeoff from Dubai, killing both pilots. That crash is one of over 100
incidents recorded by the US Federal Aviation Administration linking lithium
ion batteries to onboard fires over the past twenty years.
As such, IATA and governments agencies have issued guidelines
to transport these batteries. Even still, in May 2012, the US Postal Service
issued a statement that it would no longer allow the mailing of lithium
batteries to or from international destinations, including Army post offices, fleet
post offices and diplomatic post offices. The change was due to new standards
implemented by the International Civil Aviation Organization and the Universal
Postal Union. However, the restriction did not apply to air cargo shipments and
that private shipping companies, such as DHL, FedEx and UPS, would continue to
move shipments of lithium batteries and electronic devices containing lithium
batteries.
By November 2012, the US Postal Service reversed its
decision and began accepting packages containing lithium batteries installed in
electronic devices bound for many international destinations, and Army (APO),
Fleet (FPO) and Diplomatic Post Office (DPO) locations.
However, according to Venture Beat, due to the
current issues with Boeing’s Dreamliner, Cathay Pacific and British Airways are stopping all
shipments of lithium-ion and lithium batteries on cargo aircraft.
Until the issue is resolved, it is quite likely more
airlines and air cargo providers will either further restrict or ban shipments
of lithium batteries as well as devices in which these batteries are a part of.
This could be a possible boon for those providers that opt to continue
deliveries of such items which may lead to an increase in rates/surcharges for
transport.
This may also lead to a further shift to other modes of
transportation – rail and ocean. Some high tech manufacturers such as HP and
Acer have been trialing rail connections between Asia and Europe while others
such as Dell have increased its use of ocean freight. This modal shift may
increase particularly for the high value goods that typically ship via air.
