LITHIUM
Shipping lithium batteries by truck from China to Iran
Class 9 lithium is why many shippers look at this corridor at all: air is tightly limited and ocean DG slots are scarce. This page is the handover file, not a new transit table.
- UN3480 / UN3481 Class 9, including BESS and LiFePO4 packs, is a core service on this line
- Say lithium in the first line of the enquiry; attach a full 16-section MSDS and UN packaging details
- LCL is from 1 CBM or 100 kg; FTL is the 13.6 m curtainsider, subject to the 96 CBM / 25 T ceiling
- Delivery is CPT / DAP to Tehran West Customs, Aprin or Mashhad — not door-to-door, not DDP
- The TIR carnet is held by the carrier; the shipper does not obtain it
What we accept
Standalone cells and packs under UN3480, equipment containing lithium under UN3481, and energy-storage systems (BESS / LiFePO4) with a valid 16-section MSDS and UN packaging documents. It is a regular Class 9 road movement under TIR, not a one-off exception. Statutory-inspection cargo without the inspection paperwork is priced separately — confirm case by case, no number here.
What to send with the quote
The same three items as any cargo — origin hub, destination customs, HS / kg / CBM — plus the MSDS and the UN packing instruction that actually matches the boxes. If the file arrives without those two attachments, the quote waits. Do not describe the cargo as “electronics” if it contains cells.
Why road instead of air or sea
Scheduled air cargo to Tehran has extreme ICAO / IATA limits on lithium. Ocean via Bandar Abbas needs IMDG approval and scarce DG container slots, and still ends at the port, not at Tehran customs. This line ends at the bonded warehouse in Tehran or Mashhad. Transit from the Wuqia crossing on a direct truck is currently 21–23 days to Tehran West Customs; that is an operating range, not a lithium-specific clock, and not a guarantee.
What TIR does not change
The carnet means fewer unsealings and transloads, not none. A direct truck still transloads once, at Bukhara. TIR does not change the transit time and does not change the freight. We do not clear the batteries in Iran.
FAQ
Do you take UN3480 standalone cells?
Yes, as core Class 9 cargo, with a 16-section MSDS and UN packaging declared up front.
Can lithium go LCL?
LCL starts at 1 CBM or 100 kg. Lithium still has to be declared in the first line with the MSDS; it is not slipped into a general mixed box after the fact.
Is there a lithium surcharge on the website?
No. There are no published rates. Lithium is quoted per shipment on request, like every other cargo class.
Does TIR mean the boxes are never opened?
No. TIR keeps unsealings and transloads to a minimum. A direct truck transloads once, at Bukhara.
Related: How to request a quote · LCL to Tehran Customs · TIR documents · Electronics by truck