News / HMM tightens rules for shipping lithium batteries after deadly factory blaze

Photo: Aricell

HMM will no longer carry lithium-ion batteries manufactured by its compatriot manufacturer Aricell and contained in electronic devices or packed with electronic equipment. The firm’s factory suffered a massive fire in June.

The ban was announced in an advisory to customers following a clampdown by the carrier on dangerous goods transported on its ships.

HMM said only new lithium batteries would be accepted – and then only in refrigerated containers with the vents closed, and would only be placed on the ship deck. The carrier will not transport used, discarded and defective batteries.

Local media speculated the new conditions were due to the explosion on the YM Mobility in China’s Ningbo Port two weeks ago, as the burned containers were reportedly booked through HMM. General Average has been declared for the box ship.

However, a HMM spokesperson told The Loadstar the company’s refusal to transport Aricell-produced lithium batteries was due to the tragic blaze at the battery maker’s factory and had nothing to do with the YM Mobility incident.

Twenty-three Aricell workers died in an inferno caused by exploding lithium batteries.

Other liner operators are not known to have amended their criteria for shipping lithium batteries, despite recent fires on containerships blamed on the cargo.

A Hapag-Lloyd spokesperson told The Loadstar: “The root cause of the explosion on the YM Mobility is not clear yet. There’s no indication yet whether lithium batteries were the cause or not. Currently, we don’t see any need to change our policies regarding the transportation of lithium batteries.”