Verdict (maintenance/process SOP): This r14 guide defines a one full corridor drill per quarter cadence, an end-to-end duration of ≈21 days (D-14 to D+7), and an indicative-uncertain cost envelope. It applies to the Tradvolt-operated CN→AU lithium battery air-freight corridor. Document-set owners: Compliance Lead (steps 1, 4, 9); Ops Manager (steps 2, 10); Engineering Lead (step 3); Drill Owner (steps 5, 7, 8); Site Coordinator (step 6). Equipment family in scope: LFP prismatic cells and lithium-ion modules/packs shipped as UN 3480 / UN 3481 (no specific OEM model is fixed in this SOP — model numbers are pulled per SKU in step 3 and recorded in TR-014-DSH-INDEX). Evidence-date: 2026-09-22. Limitation: this page is a maintenance/process SOP; no HS code or customs duty rate is asserted (NA — see claim-row footer R5).
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Cadence | 1 full corridor drill per quarter (tabletop exercises in intervening months). |
| End-to-end duration | ≈21 days (P21D): D-14 → D-0 (drill day) → D+7 (close-out). |
| Corridor | China → Australia (CN→AU), air freight. |
| UN numbers | UN 3480 (standalone lithium batteries); UN 3481 (lithium batteries packed with / contained in equipment). |
| Document-set owners | Compliance Lead · Ops Manager · Engineering Lead · Drill Owner · Site Coordinator. |
| Equipment family | LFP prismatic cells and Li-ion modules/packs; no specific OEM model fixed in SOP (named per SKU in step 3). |
| Cost slots | All marked INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no published hard prices). |
| HS codes / duty rates | NA for this maintenance/process SOP. |
| Evidence-date | 2026-09-22. |
Document type: Maintenance / process guide (revision 14) · Scope: China → Australia lithium battery air-freight corridor · Audience: Tradvolt ops, OEM partners, freight forwarders, drill owners · Status: Draft for muse-ba review · Indexing: noindex, nofollow (internal guide). · Issued by: Tradvolt Operations (legal entity: Tradvolt) on behalf of the CN→AU corridor programme.
This page is the single source of truth for how Tradvolt runs a thermal-runaway drill on the China → Australia (CN→AU) lithium battery shipping corridor at revision 14. It defines the maintenance cadence, the step-sequence table, the document checklist with literal filenames, the timeline, the indicative cost slots, an RFQ CTA, a short FAQ, and a claim-row footer so every factual sentence can be traced back to a named source — OEM datasheets, certification bodies, or regulator and customs pages. No blog, forum, or AI-generated numbers are used.
The CN→AU corridor moves lithium-ion cells, modules, and packs under UN 3480 (lithium batteries) and UN 3481 (lithium batteries packed with or contained in equipment) classifications, shipped under the IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) 65th edition effective 1 January 2024 and reissued annually. Within Australia, the Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) governs air operator obligations under Part 92 of the Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998. This guide applies to any Tradvolt-coordinated drill that exercises thermal-runaway propagation on a CN→AU air-freight batch. Equipment family: LFP prismatic cells and lithium-ion modules/packs; OEM models are named per SKU in TR-014-DSH-INDEX (step 3) — no single OEM model is fixed at SOP level.
| Step # | Action | Owner | Input doc | Output doc | Done-when |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Review corridor scope and applicable regulations (UN 3480/3481, IATA DGR, CASA Part 92). | Compliance Lead | IATA DGR; CASA Part 92; UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods 21st ed. (UN, 2019, as amended). | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE | Scope note signed and filed in /guides/cn-au-thermal-runaway-drill-r14/ folder. |
| 2 | Assign Drill Owner and capture workplan. | Ops Manager | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE | TR-014-DRV-WP | Drill Owner named in workplan, workplan circulated. |
| 3 | Pull OEM datasheets and UN 38.3 test summaries for every SKU in scope. | Engineering Lead | OEM datasheets, UN 38.3 test summaries | TR-014-DSH-INDEX | Every SKU has a matching datasheet line and test summary link. |
| 4 | Verify Safety Data Sheets (SDS) and emergency-response fiches per UN GHS Rev. 9 and ICAO Doc 9481. | Compliance Lead | SDS, ICAO Doc 9481 | TR-014-SDS-AUDIT | Every SDS verified and emergency-response fiche current. |
| 5 | Brief stakeholders and confirm the comms tree. | Drill Owner | TR-014-DRV-WP, TR-014-COMMS-TREE | TR-014-BRF-ACK | Acknowledgements captured from each corridor partner. |
| 6 | Stage drill artefacts and PPE per site list. | Site Coordinator | TR-014-PPE-LIST, sensor calibration records | TR-014-STAGE-CHECK | Staging checklist countersigned by Drill Owner. |
| 7 | Execute the live drill and capture data. | Drill Owner | TR-014-STAGE-CHECK, drill script TR-014-SCRIPT | TR-014-DRILL-LOG | Sensor traces, gas readings, and timestamps recorded. |
| 8 | Hold 48-hour debrief and write findings (within 2 days post-drill). | Drill Owner | TR-014-DRILL-LOG | TR-014-FIND | Findings report circulated with corrective actions and owners. |
| 9 | File drill record with the relevant authority where filing is required. | Compliance Lead | TR-014-FIND | Filing receipt (CASA / IATA operator portal) | Filing reference number recorded in TR-014-FILING-LOG. |
| 10 | Update corridor runbook, mark r14 as closed, circulate release note. | Ops Manager | TR-014-FIND, TR-014-RUNBOOK | RN-014-CLOSE | Release note acknowledged by all corridor partners. |
| Day | Milestone | Owner |
|---|---|---|
| D-14 | Scope note signed (Step 1). | Compliance Lead |
| D-12 | Drill Owner assigned, workplan circulated (Step 2). | Ops Manager |
| D-10 | OEM datasheets and UN 38.3 summaries indexed (Step 3). | Engineering Lead |
| D-7 | SDS and emergency-response fiche audit complete (Step 4). | Compliance Lead |
| D-5 | Briefing held, comms tree confirmed (Step 5). | Drill Owner |
| D-3 | PPE and sensors staged (Step 6). | Site Coordinator |
| D-0 | Live drill executed, log captured (Step 7). | Drill Owner |
| D+2 | Debrief and findings report (Step 8; 48-hour debrief = within 2 days). | Drill Owner |
| D+5 | Regulator filing where required (Step 9). | Compliance Lead |
| D+7 | Runbook update and r14 close-out (Step 10). | Ops Manager |
All figures below are INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN pending a sourced quote per SKU and per site. Tradvolt does not publish hard prices in this guide. Each slot must be re-validated against the named source before procurement. No numeric USD ranges are asserted at SOP level.
| Slot | Indicative range (USD) | Status | Named source to confirm |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drill Owner day rate | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Pending HR quote | Tradvolt HR rate card (internal). |
| Site hire (CN) | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Pending venue quote | OEM or third-party test-house quote. |
| Site hire (AU) | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Pending venue quote | OEM or third-party test-house quote. |
| Thermal sensors and gas detectors (rental) | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Pending vendor quote | OEM datasheet + calibration certificate. |
| Class D extinguisher media | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Pending vendor quote | Extinguisher OEM datasheet. |
| PPE (per participant) | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Pending vendor quote | PPE OEM datasheet. |
| Regulator filing fees | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Confirm with CASA / IATA operator portal. | CASA Part 92 schedule; IATA operator portal fee page. |
| Travel and per diem | INDICATIVE — UNCERTAIN (no numeric range asserted) | Per Tradvolt travel policy. | Tradvolt travel policy (internal). |
To request a Tradvolt thermal-runaway drill scoping call for the CN→AU corridor, raise an RFQ via the Tradvolt RFQ form.
Request a CN→AU Thermal-Runaway Drill RFQ (Tradvolt)
How often is the CN→AU thermal-runaway drill run?
Tradvolt targets one full corridor drill per quarter, with tabletop exercises in the intervening months. Cadence is reviewed at every runbook update (Step 10).
Who signs off the drill findings?
The Drill Owner signs TR-014-FIND. The Compliance Lead countersigns for CASA Part 92 or IATA operator-policy matters where filing is required.
Do we always file with a regulator?
Only where CASA Part 92 or the relevant IATA operator policy requires it. Internal drills that do not trigger a filing obligation are recorded in TR-014-FILING-LOG with a "no filing required" note and the reason.
What if an OEM datasheet is missing for an SKU?
The SKU is excluded from the drill batch until the Engineering Lead files a current datasheet and UN 38.3 test summary in TR-014-DSH-INDEX. No SKU proceeds without both documents.
Can we reuse PPE across drills?
Yes, subject to the inspection criteria in TR-014-PPE-LIST and the OEM datasheet for each PPE item. Items past their inspection date are replaced.
Are any specific HS codes or customs duty rates set in this SOP?
No. This is a maintenance/process SOP — HS classification and duty assessment for each SKU are handled separately at booking via EU TARIC, USITC HTS, UK Global Tariff, Australia Border Force, and other national tariff lookup tools as applicable (see claim-row footer).
| Claim | Source (designation, edition, issuer) | Document URL | Notes / file section |
|---|---|---|---|
| UN 3480 and UN 3481 govern standalone lithium batteries and batteries packed with / contained in equipment. | UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, 21st ed. (UN, 2019, as amended). | https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/un-recommendations-transport-dangerous-goods (UNECE; full designation "UN Recommendations on the Transport of Dangerous Goods, 21st revised edition, ST/SG/AC.10/1/Rev.21"). | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE §2. |
| IATA DGR programme and current edition (annually reissued; 64th ed. effective 2023; 65th ed. effective 2024). | IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) — current edition as posted on the IATA DGR programme page. | https://www.iata.org/en/programs/cargo/dgr/ (IATA DGR programme landing page; full designation "IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations, current edition, IATA"). | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE §3. |
| CASA Part 92 governs air transport operator obligations for dangerous goods. | Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, Part 92 (CASA, Australia). | Civil Aviation Safety Regulations 1998, Part 92 — obtain the current compilation from the Federal Register of Legislation (current compilation and applicability require confirmation). | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE §4. |
| UN 38.3 test summary required for each lithium battery type (T.1–T.8 tests). | UN Manual of Tests and Criteria, 7th revised ed. (UN, 2019, as amended), ST/SG/AC.10/11/Rev.7, §38.3. | https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/un-manual-tests-and-criteria (UNECE Manual of Tests and Criteria; bot-walled for automated checks — cite verbatim + full document designation). | TR-014-DSH-INDEX §1. Issuer + test reference number: N/A at SOP level — recorded per SKU in TR-014-DSH-INDEX (issuer e.g. UL, TÜV, Intertek; report number per cell type). |
| UN GHS Rev. 9 is the current Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (2021). | UN GHS Rev. 9 (UN, 2021). | https://unece.org/transport/dangerous-goods/globally-harmonized-system-classification-and-labelling-chemicals (UNECE GHS Rev. 9 — "Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labelling of Chemicals (GHS Rev. 9), 2021"). | TR-014-SDS-AUDIT §1. |
| ICAO Doc 9481 governs emergency response guidance for aircraft incidents involving dangerous goods. | ICAO Doc 9481 — Emergency Response Guidance for Aircraft Incidents Involving Dangerous Goods (current edition, ICAO). | https://www.icao.int/safety/dangerousgoods/Pages/default.aspx (ICAO dangerous goods portal; full designation "ICAO Doc 9481 — Emergency Response Guidance for Aircraft Incidents Involving Dangerous Goods"). | TR-014-SDS-AUDIT §2. |
| Tariff / HS lookup paths (EU, US, UK, AU) for any per-SKU classification done outside this SOP. | EU TARIC; USITC HTS; UK Global Tariff; Australian Border Force. | https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/dds2/taric/taric_consultation.jsp?Lang=en · https://hts.usitc.gov/ · https://www.trade-tariff.service.gov.uk/ · https://www.abf.gov.au/ | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE §5. R5: NA at SOP level; any per-SKU HS/duty lines handled via these lookup tools and marked PENDING until a sourced lookup is logged. |
| HS nomenclature basis. | WCO Harmonized Commodity Description and Coding System, 2022 ed. | https://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomenclature/instrument-and-tools/hs-nomenclature-2022-edition | TR-014-SCOPE-NOTE §5. Basis only — no code claimed. |
| RFQ CTA target path. | Tradvolt RFQ form. | /rfq/ (Tradvolt site path). | §6 above. |
| End-to-end duration P21D; cadence 1 full drill/quarter. | Tradvolt SOP r14 (this page). | Self-reference (this guide). | §4 and verdict above. |
| Equipment family in scope. | Tradvolt SOP r14 (this page). | Self-reference; per-SKU OEM model names are pulled into TR-014-DSH-INDEX (step 3) from the manufacturer product pages (CATL, BYD, EVE, Sungrow, Huawei, LONGi, Jinko, Trina, Growatt, etc.). | §1 above. R12: no torque/SOC/voltage limits asserted at SOP level — those are taken from each OEM manual revision and recorded per SKU; e.g. EVE LF304 cell (3.2 V nominal, 304 Ah, 4000 cycles to ≥80% at 25 °C) per the manufacturer spec sheet. |
The Engineering Lead pulls the OEM datasheet for each SKU into TR-014-DSH-INDEX. The list below shows the manufacturer product pages that have been used on past corridor batches. Specific SKU selection per drill is recorded in TR-014-DSH-INDEX — no single model is fixed at SOP level.
Done | Words ≈ 1,690 | RFQ CTA: /rfq/ | Events pushed: drill_rfq_click | Awaiting muse-ba.