Singapore Tightens Battery Cargo Rules at Port

If your lithium battery or new energy cargo transships through Singapore, it must now be declared under the stricter “class 2 dangerous goods” rules — both costs and timing may change.

Singapore port (PSA) has revised its dangerous goods handling framework, upgrading a group of battery and battery-related dangerous goods from PSA Group 3 to Group 2, effective immediately for containers transiting Singapore. The upgrade means stricter requirements for the handling, segregation and storage of affected cargo in port, and triggers revised DG (dangerous goods) surcharges.

The reclassification covers 11 UN numbers across lithium batteries, sodium batteries and related equipment: UN3090 (lithium metal batteries), UN3091 (lithium metal batteries contained in or packed with equipment), UN3171 (battery-powered vehicles/equipment), UN3480 (lithium ion batteries), UN3481 (lithium ion batteries contained in or packed with equipment), UN3536 (lithium batteries installed in cargo transport units), UN3551/3552 (sodium batteries with organic electrolyte and equipment), UN3556/3557/3558 (lithium/sodium battery-powered vehicles). PSA will also impose mandatory monitoring on some battery DG cargo, with particular attention to cargo that stays in port for long periods.

The cost and compliance thresholds for battery cargo through Singapore have been substantially raised — inaccurate declarations will lead directly to cargo detention, fines and downstream supply-chain delays. For companies exporting new energy products, 3C goods and EV parts, this is an operational change that must be aligned with immediately. It signals that major international transshipment hubs will only scrutinise battery safety more strictly in future, demanding higher compliance capability; the “customs clearance competitiveness” of battery cargo is now a key indicator in the supply chain.

■  Singapore's rule change directly raises costs

1. With the upgrade from Group 3 to Group 2, the DG handling (DHT) surcharge for affected battery transshipment containers moves from the Group 3 tier to the Group 2 tier. Taking ONE's historical reference rate for transpacific transshipment as an example, after the upgrade a 20GP container incurs an additional DG surcharge of US$500 (historical reference rate, not the current 2026 price).

2. Under PSA's dangerous goods misdeclaration fee scale (effective April 10, 2026), once battery cargo is upgraded and found to be misdeclared, the fine per container jumps from S$1,000 to S$8,000 (about eight times).

3. New mandatory monitoring service fee (effective May 1, 2026): selected battery DG cargo (especially containers that stay in the port area for long periods) must purchase mandatory terminal safety monitoring, which was not required in the Group 3 era — an additional cost layer created by the upgrade.

■  Risks must be re-examined after Singapore's rule change

« For battery/new energy cargo transiting Singapore, re-check the UN numbers and DG declarations against the new rules and reclassify under Group 2;

« Include the revised DG surcharges in quotations and customer communications so margins are not eroded;

« Prepare complete and accurate DG documentation in advance, shorten port dwell time, and reduce the risk of mandatory monitoring and detention.