Record the battery model and how it is packed, and collect matching documents. Resolve test-summary gaps and confirm service acceptance before dispatch.
Choose a review path from the battery's actual condition
Before choosing a transport mode, identify the battery, how it is packed and whether the documents cover it. Have qualified personnel obtain current operator acceptance. Damaged or abnormal batteries need separate professional direction; keep them out of ordinary dispatch while the issue remains unresolved.
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Check every product and accessory for batteries
Battery-powered shipments include more than power banks. Wireless accessories, tools, equipment and spare batteries may all need review. Check the main product, accessories and everything supplied in the box rather than deciding from the sales name alone. A battery in an accessory can be easy to overlook.
Request the battery chemistry or type, specifications, model and manufacturer information from the supplier. Explain whether it is installed in equipment, packed with equipment or shipped separately. These arrangements can have different transport conditions and need review by qualified personnel.
Collect matching documents before booking
Prepare the product manual, battery technical information and applicable test documentation, checking that the model references match the goods. IATA's battery resources emphasise the importance of battery identification, packing configuration and applicable requirements. A generic document should not be assumed to cover every model in a product range.
If the same product housing is sold with different batteries, assemble information for the version actually being shipped. Resolve mismatched model references, incomplete screenshots or changes introduced by repair or modification before requesting acceptance or arranging collection.
Confirm acceptance for the actual journey
Give the provider the origin, destination, any proposed transfers, quantity, packaging configuration and battery information together. Carriers and routes may impose additional restrictions. An arrangement used previously still needs to be checked against the current shipment and applicable requirements.
Do not alter the product name, omit the battery or conceal it within a generic accessory description to obtain a quotation. Incomplete information affects safety review and operational planning. A general-cargo price does not confirm that battery-containing goods are accepted for transport.
Have qualified personnel confirm preparation and handover
Battery shipments may involve dangerous-goods classification, packaging, marking and documentation requirements. This article is an information-gathering checklist, not a packing procedure or a replacement for training. Qualified personnel should determine the preparation, supporting documents and required signatories using the applicable rules and carrier requirements.
Retain the final product list, document versions and acceptance correspondence before handover, and check that the goods have not changed. Disclose damaged, recalled or otherwise abnormal batteries. Pause the ordinary dispatch process and ask qualified personnel how to handle them.
Request documents for the exact battery model
Use one document register for each battery or product configuration. IATA’s 2026 guidance distinguishes the UN 38.3 test summary from an SDS and identifies the manufacturer and subsequent distributors as the parties that make the applicable summary available. The table is a collection checklist for professional review, not a universal list of documents that must accompany every parcel.
| Information or document | Request from | Check against the shipment |
|---|---|---|
| Battery technical specification | Battery or equipment manufacturer | Chemistry, model, manufacturer, rating and configuration match the actual goods |
| UN 38.3 test summary, where applicable | Manufacturer or subsequent distributor | Model or covered product, report identification/date and stated test results; confirm applicable exceptions |
| SDS, if requested for a stated reason | Supplier or manufacturer | Correct product and revision; do not treat it as a replacement for transport information |
| Packing configuration record | Supplier and packing team | Installed, packed with equipment or separate; quantities and model references match |
| Required transport declarations and preparation records | Appropriately competent shipping personnel | Requirements determined for the classification, route and operator |
Worked example: the model on the document does not match
Suppose the product purchase order specifies battery B24-R2, but the supplier sends a test summary listing only B24-R1. Mark the entry “applicability unresolved” and request evidence that the actual model is covered, or the matching summary. A similar enclosure or sales name is not enough. A summary may legitimately cover multiple models, so inspect its coverage instead of rejecting it solely because it contains several entries.
Retain the received file, supplier contact, retrieval date and written explanation of applicability. IATA’s 2026 guidance states that an SDS is not a transport document; it does not prove that a particular battery shipment is eligible. Have the responsible specialist confirm the current requirements and operator acceptance before dispatch. Do not use an unresolved file mismatch as a reason to omit the battery from the shipment description.
Calculate the battery rating and count every installed and spare unit
IATA’s 2026 guidance defines the lithium-ion Watt-hour calculation as nominal voltage × capacity in ampere-hours. Convert mAh to Ah by dividing by 1,000. For an original example, a battery marked 11.1 V nominal and 2,600 mAh has a calculated rating of 11.1 × 2.6 = 28.86 Wh. Use the battery’s nominal voltage and rated capacity, not the charger’s output or the device’s power consumption.
This calculation checks the information supplied; it does not authorise transport. Match it to the manufacturer’s actual rating and resolve discrepancies. Lithium-metal information instead includes lithium content in grams, so do not substitute this Wh calculation for the data needed for that chemistry. Have qualified personnel determine the classification and applicable requirements.
Now suppose the order contains twenty devices with one such battery installed in each, plus two spare batteries. The total is twenty-two batteries, but “twenty devices” would omit the spares. Record how these units are distributed among the actual packages; installed, packed-with-equipment and separate arrangements need their own review.
- Photograph the battery label and connect the photo to the product version being shipped.
- Reconcile installed batteries, spare packs and battery-powered accessories against the order and physical contents.
- Send the completed package-level schedule to the responsible specialist; release only the reviewed configuration under the applicable preparation and acceptance requirements.
| Field | Original example entry | Check before acceptance review |
|---|---|---|
| Battery identity | Exact manufacturer/model and revision from the label and technical sheet | Matches the applicable test-summary coverage |
| Nominal rating | 11.1 V; 2,600 mAh; calculated 28.86 Wh per battery | Matches the manufacturer’s rated data; do not add all batteries’ Wh and report it as one battery |
| Count and arrangement | 20 installed batteries plus 2 spares = 22 total | Show the count and arrangement in each outer package |
| Battery mass | If each battery is 0.18 kg, total battery mass is 3.96 kg | Use actual battery mass, excluding equipment and packaging; also record the required per-package quantities |
| Condition and approval | Condition checked; document review and operator acceptance recorded | Stop ordinary dispatch for damaged, recalled or otherwise abnormal batteries and obtain qualified handling advice |
This is a planning guide. Requirements vary by service and destination. Confirm cargo acceptance, charges, customs requirements and delivery arrangements with your provider before shipping.
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