News - Hongkong Post Bans Airmailing of Lipos

It looks as if Hongkong post has started cracking down on the airmail shipment of lipo and other lithium batteries. Advice that the shipment of such batteries would no longer be allowed via airmail was posted to the HK Post website back in December 2009, but now it appears that they are getting serious about screening packages and intercepting attempts to ignore the ban.

Lithium batteries were also banned during the period of the 2008 Beijing Olympics, however this was just a temporary interruption, the latest ban looks as if it could be permanent.

What this means to RC fliers who rely on being able to directly import cheap batteries from Hongkong using low-cost airmail remains uncertain.

HobbyKing has advised customers "to avoid ordering large Lipoly battery (above 2200mAh) for the next 14 days", warning of the increased screening and the fact that there may be significant delays to such shipments.

With growing global concern about the potential risks associated with lithium-Ion and lithium-polymer batteries, shipping is becoming an increasingly difficult issue.

It is not clear at this stage whether the ban will affect shipments coming directly from mainland China and there appear to be no warnings posted by sites such as HiModel in respect to this, although it might pay to check with any Chinese supplier before placing an order that is to be shipped by airmail/EMS.

29 December 2009
Prohibited Articles - Perfumery Products and Lithium Batteries
In accordance with the Universal Postal Convention, International Civil Aviation Organization and International Air Transport Association Regulations, all dangerous goods including perfumery products and lithium batteries are not admissible in the post (including Speedpost) for sending to overseas destinations by air. The onus of ensuring compliance with these conditions rests with the sender. Any inconvenience caused is regretted.
Hong Kong Post - The Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region

Source: RC Model Reviews, HeliFreak member human09, Hong Kong Post