Together with its partners, the Cargo Incident Notification System Network (CINS) has compiled a comprehensive publication covering the properties of these batteries and their potential to explode, initiate fires and emit toxic gases. Extensive measures to safely transport what is an exponentially increasing volume of lithium-ion batteries, in their various states of charge and when also contained in electronic devices are fully examined. This includes aspects such as classification and regulation, container packing, landside storage, stowage on board ships, incident detection and fire suppression, and loss prevention and risk mitigation. Intended as the first of an on-going series of publications to be updated as circumstances require, this first, Lithium-ion Batteries in Containers Guidelines (101.A), provides a general overview, and will be followed by three further documents – regulatory compliance check-lists, risk assessment and emergency response, and training and educational awareness. Stakeholders in the supply chain are encouraged to implement the advice according to their specific operations and requirements, but to always keep safety of life as their primary consideration.
