Lithium Batteries · International Shipping Compliance 2026
Lithium cells are the freight industry's most-handled Class 9 dangerous good — and the cause of most of those port-yard fires you keep reading about. Under IATA DGR 67 (air) and IMDG 42-24 (sea) the 2026 rules tightened around state of charge (SOC ≤ 30%), packaging, and which UN number you declare. This is the working brief for what's exempt, what's not, and which docs you can't ship without.
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UN numbers cover all lithium-cell shipments — 3480 / 3481 / 3090 / 3091
SP188
Sea-only exemption — small cells skip the full DG paperwork track
≤30%
2026 mandatory state-of-charge for air; recommended for sea
160Wh
Air shipment ceiling — above this, no air freight allowed
Four UN Numbers — Which One Is Yours
Per IATA DGR 67 (air) and IMDG 42-24 (sea). The split is by chemistry (Li-ion vs. Li-metal) and by whether the cell ships alone or inside a device.
UN3480
Li-ion · StandaloneMost-shipped — bare cells / packs
Rechargeable lithium-ion cells shipping without a device. Air: cargo-only aircraft.
UN3481
Li-ion · Packed-With or In-EquipmentCell inside the product
Lithium-ion cells installed in or packed with a device (phone, laptop, e-bike). Passenger aircraft allowed up to 100 Wh.
Li-metal · With or In-EquipmentWatches, sensors, coin cells
Lithium-metal cells installed in or packed with a device. Mostly small button / coin cells.
SP188 — The Sea-Only Exemption (Air Has No Equivalent)
If your cells fit the SP188 envelope you skip the full DG paperwork track on sea. Still Class 9, but no DG declaration / DG slot / hazpac certificate. Damaged or scrap cells: zero exemption, always declared under SP376.
Energy Cap
Li-ion: ≤ 20 Wh per cell, ≤ 100 Wh per pack. Li-metal: ≤ 1 g per cell, ≤ 2 g per pack. Pack must show Wh on the label.
UN 38.3 Tested
Every cell / pack passes UN 38.3 testing, certificate valid (≤ 1 year). No test, no shipment — exemption or not.
Drop-Test Pack
Packaging survives a 1.2-meter drop test. Outer carton carries the lithium-battery warning mark (color or B/W both OK).
Weight Cap
Loose cells / packs: ≤ 30 kg gross per carton. Outside SP188: the full UN-packaging certificate kicks back in.
Air vs. Sea — Two Different Rule Books
Same cell, different limits. The biggest 2026 changes hit air freight; sea changed less but still moved on SOC.
Air · IATA DGR 67
By Air — Tighter, Always
Passenger Aircraft
UN3480 / UN3090 banned. Standalone bare cells go cargo-only.
≤ 100 Wh
In-device (UN3481) allowed on passenger aircraft.
100–160 Wh
Cargo-only, airline approval required.
> 160 Wh
Air freight not allowed.
SOC Rule
SOC ≤ 30% mandatory. Over 100 Wh — SOC declaration / log at booking.
Cargo-Aircraft Label
"Cargo Aircraft Only" mark on every package.
Sea · IMDG 42-24
By Sea — Slightly Looser
DG Slot
Outside SP188: must book a DG slot — anti-static, reinforced.
Even one scrap / dented / leaking cell in the box kills the exemption. Re-routes to UN3480 + SP376 declaration with full DG paperwork.
02 · SOC OVER 30%
Air Carriers Are Now Checking
Random gauge tests on the ramp. Pack of laptops at 60% SOC = refused at airline counter, recharge / re-pack cost is yours.
03 · WH LABEL MISSING
No Wh, No Boarding
The outer carton MUST show energy in Wh. Forwarders see SP188 boxes refused for missing Wh markings every week.
04 · EXPIRED UN 38.3
One-Year Validity Bites
UN 38.3 report has a 1-year window. Re-shipping last year's stock = re-test if expired. Plan re-tests 30 days before expiry.
Where Cube-Age fits
Cube-Age sources lithium-powered SKUs (electric pallet jacks, label printers, e-bikes, power tools) and ships them under compliant DG flow — UN-tested cells, in-spec SOC, full document set. Pair with CPSC eFiling (atlas-c67) for certificate-side compliance and 5H / 9H clearance (atlas-c69) for the U.S. entry side.
Source: IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations 67th Edition (effective 2026); IMDG Code 42-24 amendment; UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, Manual of Tests and Criteria (UN 38.3). Industry compendium via "林说物流" practitioner notes.