Hybrid and electric cars are being classified as dangerous goods

Shipping lines engaged in international transport have raised their rates for the transport of hybrid and electric vehicles and classified them as dangerous goods. By examining recent scientific developments in the field of lithium-ion battery manufacturing, certain conclusions can be drawn. For example, when comparing the driving performance of today’s modern electric vehicles, they are no worse than that of vehicles running on conventional fuel.

This has been the main reason for the significant increase in demand not only for electric vehicles but also for hybrid models. This has also been reflected in the daily export volumes of such vehicles. Shipping lines unanimously decided to significantly tighten the requirements for transporting battery-powered and hybrid vehicles. This is because they have been classified as hazardous cargo. As a result, the cost of transporting electric and hybrid vehicles has increased slightly.

Are vehicles powered by lithium-ion batteries dangerous?

A product such as a battery can pose a danger, but only if it is damaged, overcharged, or lacks proper, high-quality, and reliable packaging. Even the slightest defect can lead to a fire, a short circuit, or simple overheating. It is important to remember that such a fire is quite difficult to extinguish. If a vehicle is purchased at an auction, the future owner cannot be certain that the battery is free of defects or that its packaging is intact.

According to current regulations for the transport of hazardous materials, specifically batteries, such units must be leak-proof. Integrity checks are conducted to prevent the release of hazardous substances during transport.

As for hybrid electric vehicles, which run on both internal combustion engines and batteries, they too can pose a hazard in the event of a leak of flammable liquid (such as gasoline).

Transportation of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles and Its Specifics

Currently, all vehicles equipped with a lithium-ion battery (which also includes hybrid vehicles) must undergo a specific transportation procedure, as they are classified as hazardous cargo. When transporting these vehicles, it is important to follow certain key guidelines and requirements. These include the following:

• When booking space for transporting a vehicle on a ship, you must provide information indicating that such cargo is classified as dangerous;
• When loading such vehicles as dangerous goods, they must undergo the declaration procedure.

During the declaration process, it is crucial to specify the toxicity level in the accompanying documentation, select the appropriate hazard and flammability classes, and wait for confirmation from the shipping line that the declaration has been completed correctly.

In the event that the shipper fails to fully comply with all requirements, shipping lines have decided to impose certain fines. These include:

• Hapag has imposed a fine of $15,000;
• Cosco imposes a fine of $20,000 for an incorrectly completed declaration or for failing to provide one;
• Maersk has set a minimum fine of $5,000 for violations of the requirements.

It is worth noting that, in addition to imposing fines, a decision was made in light of the current situation to increase the cost of transporting electric and hybrid vehicles from the United States. So far, the amount required to be paid for their delivery has not increased significantly.