European Agreements Covering Road, Rail, and Inland Waterway Transport of Dangerous Goods
ADR, RID, and ADN are the three European agreements governing the transport of dangerous goods by road, rail, and inland waterway respectively. Together they cover all ground-based surface transport of dangerous goods within and between European countries. Lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods under all three agreements and are subject to specific requirements covering packaging, labelling, documentation, and vehicle/wagon requirements.
ADR: European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road (UNECE)
RID: Regulations Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Rail (OTIF/UNECE)
ADN: European Agreement Concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Waterways (UNECE)
Current editions: ADR 2023, RID 2023, ADN 2023 (updated biennially)
Related standard: UN 38.3 (transport testing), UN Model Regulations (classification basis)
US domestic equivalent: PHMSA / 49 CFR HMR (the nearest US counterpart for domestic road/rail/inland waterway transport)
Scope
ADR/RID/ADN apply to the international transport of dangerous goods including lithium batteries (UN 3480/3090 standalone; UN 3481/3091 in/with equipment) within Europe. National transport within EU member states also typically applies ADR requirements. The agreements are based on the UN Model Regulations and use the same UN number system, packing groups, and class structure.
Key Requirements for Lithium Battery Transport
Packing and Marking
Packing instruction P903 (ADR) applies to lithium-ion batteries shipped separately. Batteries must be at ≤30% state of charge for large lithium-ion battery shipments. Packages must carry the Class 9 diamond label, UN number, proper shipping name, and lithium battery mark. UN-certified packaging is required above the threshold quantities defined in Special Provision 188.
Documentation and Driver Requirements
Transport documents must include the UN number, proper shipping name, hazard class, packing group, and total quantity. For road transport (ADR), vehicles carrying significant quantities of lithium batteries above threshold quantities require ADR-trained drivers, appropriate vehicle markings (orange plates), and carriage of specified fire extinguishing equipment.
Disclaimer: This is not a definitive guide, just an indication and it is important that you always go back to the source for legislation.
References
See also: IATA DGR, IMDG Code, UN, IATA & Transport