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Cathay Cargo recently earned an International Air Transport Association Center of Excellence for Independent Validators lithium batteries recertification
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The accreditation ‘underlines the precision at the heart of the refreshed Cathay Dangerous Goods shipment solution’
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Cathay Cargo was one of the first carriers in Asia to receive such an accreditation
Cathay Cargo has earned an International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators (CEIV) lithium batteries recertification, one of the first carriers in Asia to receive such accreditation and one of the first to be recertified this summer.
IATA said the accreditation “underlines the precision at the heart of the refreshed Cathay Dangerous Goods shipment solution.”
Cathay Dangerous Goods requires precise handling, segregated storage across all nine classes of dangerous goods including flammable, radioactive and other types of hazardous materials, along with the safe carriage of lithium-ion batteries.
In a statement, Tim Wong, Cathay Cargo General Manager Cargo Service Delivery, said: “Safety is the cornerstone for all our operations, and particularly when it comes to the transport of dangerous goods.”
“The safe carriage of lithium-ion batteries is a core focus of our cargo business and we have introduced a series of safety protocols with our customers and operational teams to mitigate any risks,” he added.
The CEIV reaccreditation will give further reassurance to Cathay Cargo’s customers that the Hong Kong-based airline adheres to the highest standards of handling in the industry.
“This milestone reflects our continued commitment to safety and operational excellence in handling dangerous goods, especially lithium battery shipments. This achievement was made possible through the collaborative efforts of our teams across the business and reinforces our position as a trusted leader in air cargo service delivery,” according to Wong.
With the growth of e-commerce, the shipment of lithium-ion batteries or goods containing them has become a potential safety concern, thus the new solution provides additional measures to ensure safety for carriage in the air, and segregated storage on the ground.
Along with the existing range of fire-resistant bags and containers for shipments of varying sizes, the Cathay Dangerous Goods solution now offers greater flexibility for shipment options with a build-up solution for multiple fire-resistant bags. This increases space efficiency by 50 per cent for larger shipments and allows the carriage of bigger individual battery sizes safely.
Additionally, the refreshed Cathay Dangerous Goods solution offers a digital Lithium Batteries Shipper Approval Request Form to streamline and speed up the approval process for shippers and forwarders, making the process more agile and responsive to urgent customer enquiries.
This follows further reductions through digitization in the time required to approve heavy and out of gauge shipments.
Cathay Cargo has said it has continued its work to prevent the transport of misdeclared and undeclared dangerous goods as general cargo. Initiatives include new screening processes at the Cathay Cargo Terminal in Hong Kong, which use AI technology to identify possible misdeclared or undeclared shipments and hidden dangerous goods.
Additionally, the Cargo Agent Operation Program, which offers comprehensive training workshops and handling advice to forwarders, has been extended to more outports worldwide.
“Our refreshed Cathay Dangerous Goods shipment solution ensures the precision required for the safe and seamless transport of dangerous goods is visible at every stage of the journey,” Wong also said.
