Container handling is in progress at Xiamen Port. [Photo provided to swj.xm.gov.cn]

The second edition of Xiamen Port's safety guidelines for containerized battery energy storage systems is now in effect. An upgrade to China's first such framework, it tightens safety oversight, broadens vessel eligibility, and adopts a forward-looking regulatory stance. The update is expected to significantly boost export opportunities for China's energy storage industry.

The updated guidelines permit, for the first time, the use of multi-purpose vessels for shipping energy storage containers. Operators must put in place lifting and lashing plans and hold pre-departure briefings with all parties involved to ensure seamless coordination.

With the rise of customized storage products, Xiamen authorities have explored new transport models using a wider range of vessel types. Three terminals have already secured Class 9 dangerous goods permits and completed successful trial runs.

The guidelines now cover the entire logistics chain — from sea to rail and water-to-water transshipment — rather than just maritime shipping. This broadens export routes for domestic storage containers and reinforces Xiamen Port's status as a leading hub for lithium battery shipments.

The updated framework extends to sodium-ion batteries, confirming that both sodium-only and lithium-sodium hybrid energy storage containers are eligible for transport under these rules. This addresses a key challenge that has slowed exports of new storage products — namely, the absence of clear shipping standards. By providing regulatory certainty, the guidelines are set to accelerate the international rollout of next-generation energy storage solutions.

The latest edition remains up to date with the latest international and domestic regulatory developments, incorporating IMDG Code Amendment 42-24 and the most recent national standards to raise the bar for compliance. It expands the safety framework to cover the full export chain and streamlines critical safety requirements.