（Question on the Chinese rules governing Lithium Battery shipments.）
Q.
For shipments out from China, Test Summaries prepared by the battery manufacturer or of the setting dealer who completed the shipment by packing the lithium battery with the device, are insufficient to validate the transport. A certificate issued by a government recognized testing organization must be secured. To applyfor this ertificate, a test summary is insufficient and the shipper must apply with a UN 38.3 full report. One of those government recognized testing agency is known to be the “Shanghai Engineering Laboratory”
When IATA upgraded the lithium battery transport rules on I January 2009, the 1.2m drop test had to be certified by this “Shanghai Engineering Laboratory”. We would like to know the Chinese rules, its references and backgrounds.
1. What are the rules?
2. Any URL information sources? What are the contents?
3. When are full test report mandatory? Lithium ion batteries? Or, lithium metal batteries?
4. Is a certificate issued by a government designated laboratory needed for the 1.2m drop test? (31 Mar 20)
A.
I am sorry to say that the local Chinese rules and practices are difficult to understand. Little is knowon of their background. It appears as though each municipality or each airport has their own interpretation of the same rules and law. Practice appears to differ with each officer. ICAO/IATA interprets that test summaries may be posted on the website of the manufacturer, and there is no need to submit a test summary in printed form for each shipment. If there is a doubt, the airline can demand submission of a full report. Judging from a different angle, it could be that the Chinese authority may be imposing strict rules to discourage illegal shipments, non-declared shipments, incorrectly declared shipments and etc. which unfortunately is happending in China. Making rules strict to nullify dishonest shippers are a welcomed action.
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