
By Mike Schuler, gCaptain
The U.S. Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) has released a comprehensive guide for lithium battery shipping, addressing growing concerns about maritime transportation of electric vehicles and battery-powered goods.
The guide, released on November 21st, 2024, outlines new regulatory requirements for shipping lithium cells and batteries across all transport modes, including vessel shipments. Shippers must now comply with both domestic regulations and the International Maritime Dangerous Goods (IMDG) code, depending on their shipment route.
Lithium-ion battery cell explosions are commonly caused by thermal runaway, a chemical reaction that can lead to the cell igniting and exploding. Thermal runaway can occur spontaneously if the battery is damaged, shorted, overheated, defective, or overcharged.
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