Shipping Lithium Batteries by Sea: UN 38.3 Rules for EV Importers
Why battery paperwork blocks more shipments than customs does
Lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods. Shipping lines will not load a container of electric scooters without proof that the batteries passed UN 38.3 transport testing — a series of altitude, thermal, vibration, shock, short-circuit and overcharge tests defined by the UN Manual of Tests and Criteria.
In practice the booking agent asks for the document set below. Missing any one of them delays the vessel booking, not just customs clearance.
The document set you need
- UN 38.3 Test Summary (UN38.3 TS) for the exact battery model shipped
- MSDS / SDS (safety data sheet) for the battery chemistry
- Dangerous Goods Declaration prepared by the shipper
- Packing certificate — vehicles with installed batteries usually ship under UN 3171 (battery-powered vehicle)
- Class 9 labels and lithium battery marks on packaging where required
Vehicle with installed battery vs batteries shipped separately
Complete vehicles with the battery installed (CBU) ship under UN 3171 and are the simplest case — most of our containers move this way. Spare or separately boxed lithium-ion packs fall under UN 3480 with stricter state-of-charge and packing rules, so plan spare-battery quantities with your forwarder in advance.
Lead-acid models avoid most of this entirely, which is one reason budget fleets still order them — the trade-offs are covered in lithium vs lead-acid.
How EVMOTO handles it
Every lithium model in the catalog ships with UN 38.3 test summaries and MSDS from the cell supplier, and our forwarders prepare the DG declaration as part of the booking. If you already have a forwarder, we hand them the full document pack on request — start an inquiry with your destination port.
Frequently asked questions
What is UN 38.3 in simple terms?
A UN transport-safety test program that every lithium battery must pass before it can legally travel by sea or air: altitude simulation, thermal cycling, vibration, shock, external short circuit, impact/crush, overcharge and forced discharge.
Can electric scooters be shipped by air?
Generally no for complete vehicles with installed lithium batteries — most airlines refuse them or apply severe restrictions. Sea freight is the standard for wholesale quantities; single samples sometimes move with battery shipped separately under UN 3480 rules.
Who prepares the Dangerous Goods Declaration?
The shipper (factory or trading company) prepares it with the freight forwarder. As the buyer you only need to make sure it exists before the booking — EVMOTO includes it in every container file.
Put this guide to work
Send your models, quantity and destination port — FOB/CIF pricing within 24 hours.