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Aviation groups call for stricter enforcement of lithium battery rules
GOVERNMENTS must strictly enforce laws against "rogue producers and exporters" and impose stiffer penalties on companies that put shipments of improperly tested batteries on cargo aircraft, says the International Air Transport Association (IATA).
IATA was joined in the joint statement by The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and three manufacturers' shipping lobbies.
"We've had regulations in place for a long time, and they're regularly strengthened but the frustration is the failure of some states to step in and enforce the regulations," said IATA assistant cargo chief Dave Brennan.
"In some countries, manufacturing is outpacing overseers' ability to check standards, while some national aviation authorities lack the legal means to impose fines without going to court," he said.
Growth of worldwide shipments of lithium-ion batteries is projected to average 20 per cent annually for the next decade or so after reaching about $16 billion last year.
Three freighter blazes have been linked to lithium battery shipments, including the crash of a 747 freighter in Dubai in 2010 that killed two UPS pilots.
A lack of enforcement is leading to increasing pressure on airlines and regulators to unilaterally ban all lithium battery shipments by aircraft.
This would add to the cost of global supply chains and consumer goods, and have the unintended consequence of potentially encouraging those that already flout the law to increase mislabelling of batteries, further increasing safety risks.
IATA was joined in the joint statement by The International Air Cargo Association (TIACA) and three manufacturers' shipping lobbies.
"We've had regulations in place for a long time, and they're regularly strengthened but the frustration is the failure of some states to step in and enforce the regulations," said IATA assistant cargo chief Dave Brennan.
"In some countries, manufacturing is outpacing overseers' ability to check standards, while some national aviation authorities lack the legal means to impose fines without going to court," he said.
Growth of worldwide shipments of lithium-ion batteries is projected to average 20 per cent annually for the next decade or so after reaching about $16 billion last year.
Three freighter blazes have been linked to lithium battery shipments, including the crash of a 747 freighter in Dubai in 2010 that killed two UPS pilots.
A lack of enforcement is leading to increasing pressure on airlines and regulators to unilaterally ban all lithium battery shipments by aircraft.
This would add to the cost of global supply chains and consumer goods, and have the unintended consequence of potentially encouraging those that already flout the law to increase mislabelling of batteries, further increasing safety risks.
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