Cargolux grounds lithium ion battery shipments

Global operator of Boeing 747 freighters Cargolux Airlines said it will temporarily ban the transport of lithium ion battery shipments, starting May 1.    The global operator of Boeing 747 freighters Cargolux Airlines said it will temporarily ban the transport of lithium ion battery (UN3480) shipments, starting May 1.
   Cargolux said its decision came after reviewing new information released by the Federal Aviation Administration, Boeing and the International Civil Aviation Organization that questioned the effectiveness of on-board fire extinguishing systems against lithium ion battery fires and the temperatures that these fires can develop.
   The all-cargo aircraft operator joins other airfreight carriers that have determined the risk of transporting these shipments is currently “not acceptable.”
   Shipments of lithium metal batteries (UN3090) have already been banned by Cargolux, following a dedicated risk assessment conducted in previous years.
   This transportation ban, however, does not apply to lithium ion batteries packed with or contained in equipment (UN 3481).
   “To lift the ban as soon as possible, Cargolux will assess different options to identify if technology exists or if new technology can be developed in order to make the transportation of bulk shipments of lithium batteries safe,” the Luxembourg-based airline said in a statement.