Recently, BGS was awarded the CEIV Li-batt certification—the lithium battery qualification—by the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validation. This certification signifies that BGS’s operations and management of lithium batteries have reached an industry-leading level. Previously, BGS had already obtained two other certifications from the IATA Center of Excellence for Independent Validation: CEIV Pharma for pharmaceutical products and CEIV Fresh for fresh and perishable goods. With this latest lithium battery certification, BGS has become the first company in mainland China to hold all three IATA certifications—pharmaceuticals, fresh and perishable goods, and lithium batteries.

As the living standards of China’s population continue to rise and lithium-battery technology keeps improving, the volume of lithium-battery air shipments has been growing rapidly. From small electronic devices carried by passengers during travel to new-energy vehicles exported overseas, lithium batteries are now ubiquitous and have become a “new engine” driving China’s foreign trade. However, the inherent safety risks associated with lithium batteries cannot be overlooked. In air transportation, lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods. The International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the Civil Aviation Administration of China, and IATA have all established numerous specific regulations governing the passenger and cargo transport of lithium batteries, ensuring the safe air transport of lithium batteries and battery-powered products.

Compared to the two previous certifications—pharmaceuticals and fresh perishable goods—this CEIV Lithium Battery certification not only involves an assessment of BGS’s quality management system but also requires a review of the company’s safety management system. Moreover, the scope of the certification extends beyond cargo transportation to encompass operations related to passengers, baggage, and load planning as well. The checklist includes more than 200 inspection items across 10 key areas: quality, safety, personnel, training, documentation, facilities and equipment, supplier management, and passenger and cargo handling operations—all of which cover BGS’s entire operational chain, from passenger transport and freight services to apron operations and load planning. Since August of this year, all departments at BGS have worked closely together, establishing an audit-readiness team composed of senior staff from various functional and operational units. This team swiftly launched preparations and, through repeated communication with IATA, underwent three months of continuous refinement and improvement, ultimately achieving CEIV Lithium Battery certification. During the evaluation of BGS’s operational sites and procedural documents, IATA auditors highly praised BGS’s management practices in lithium battery handling, as well as its efforts in safety and quality assurance.

As a ground handling agent for dangerous goods registered with the Civil Aviation Administration of China, BGS has always strictly adhered to the regulatory requirements set forth by the Administration regarding various types of dangerous goods, including lithium batteries. This application for CEIV lithium battery certification further enhances BGS’s service quality and safety management level on top of our already established operational standards, thereby boosting customers’ confidence in BGS’s service guarantees. Moving forward, BGS will continue to embrace new challenges on the path toward high-quality development, leveraging our years of accumulated experience and higher-quality services to provide customers with safer, more reliable, and more efficient airside ground handling services.