Standalone cells and packs
Batteries shipped on their own. The most tightly controlled case, with state-of-charge limits and the strictest packaging requirements.
Last reviewed
Solutions · Battery & DG shipping
Battery shipping from China, answered before a carrier says no.
Standalone cells, packs, power banks, and batteries built into equipment. A lithium battery freight forwarder earns its fee at the review stage: we read the chemistry, rating, and packing relationship first, then quote the mode that will actually be accepted.
UN38.3test review built in
Air + seamode comparison
24hdocument pre-check
1:1specialist per shipment
Packing relationships
Three ways a battery ships, three different rule sets.
How the battery sits relative to the device changes the classification, the labelling, the packing, and which carriers will take it. Getting this wrong is the most common reason a shipment is refused.
Packed with equipment
Batteries in the same carton as the device they power, but not installed. Quantity per package drives the declaration.
Contained in equipment
Batteries installed inside the device. Usually the most straightforward case, and the one most often overlooked at intake.
Compliance first
The lane starts with the battery profile, not the booking form.
Give us the chemistry, watt-hour rating, packaging, and test documents. We will tell you which mode and packing path can actually move — including when the honest answer is that this configuration cannot fly.
| Input | Why it matters | Review |
|---|---|---|
| Battery chemistry | Classifies handling and carrier acceptance | Required |
| Watt-hour rating | Changes packing, labelling, and mode constraints | Required |
| UN38.3 test summary | Supports transport eligibility for cells and packs | Required |
| Safety data sheet | Confirms product composition for the carrier | Required |
| Packing relationship | Standalone, packed with, or contained in equipment | Critical |
| Outer packaging photos | Lets the origin team check the carton and labelling plan | Recommended |
Controlled handoff
Four checkpoints before the cargo moves.
01 — Profile
Classify the battery
Chemistry, rating, quantity, and packing relationship are captured before we quote a mode. This is the step most quotes skip.
02 — Verify
Review the documents
UN38.3, SDS, invoice, and packing details are checked against the proposed route and the carrier's current policy.
03 — Pack
Approve the carton
Origin staff confirm marks, labels, overpack, and carrier-ready paperwork at pickup rather than trusting the supplier's default.
04 — Move
Book the accepted lane
The shipment goes on the route it was reviewed for, with the document set already matching what the carrier will inspect.
FAQ
Battery shipping FAQ
Air acceptance, UN38.3, packing relationships, and what to do about a document gap.
Can all lithium batteries be shipped by air from China?
No, and any forwarder saying yes without seeing the details is guessing. Acceptance depends on chemistry, watt-hour rating, state of charge, packing relationship, labelling, and the individual carrier's current policy, which changes. We review the actual shipment profile and tell you plainly when a configuration cannot fly — usually the alternative is ocean freight with different packaging.
What is UN38.3 and do I need it?
UN38.3 is the transport test standard for lithium cells and batteries, and the test summary is the document carriers and authorities ask for. For cells and packs you need it. Your battery manufacturer should provide it — if they cannot, that is a supply-chain problem worth knowing about before you have a container of unshippable stock.
Can you ship batteries packed with or inside equipment?
Usually, yes, and these are often simpler than standalone cells. The packing relationship, quantity per package, and the device details determine the declaration and the carrier path. Send photographs or a packing diagram if the product is new, because the carton layout affects the answer more than people expect.
Is sea freight easier than air for batteries?
Generally the ocean route offers more packaging flexibility and broader acceptance, which is why it is often the workable answer when an air booking is refused. It is not unregulated, though — dangerous goods rules still apply, the documentation is still required, and the container still has to be declared correctly. It buys flexibility, not an exemption.
What if one SKU in my shipment has incomplete documents?
We flag it before pickup and quote a split shipment, or hold that SKU while the document set is completed. That is almost always cheaper than a rejected handoff at the airport, where you are paying storage on cargo that cannot move and cannot easily come back.
Battery lane review
Send the product profile. We will map the workable route.
Share the battery type, watt-hour rating, packing relationship, and destination. A specialist replies with the document gaps and the modes that will accept it.
Send the product profile. We will map the workable route.
Share the battery type, watt-hour rating, packing relationship, and destination. A specialist replies with the document gaps and the modes that will accept it.