Recently, many foreign trade professionals have been concerned about the cost of exporting lithium batteries to the United States. Objectively speaking, the international logistics and customs clearance costs for lithium batteries in 2025 have indeed increased, but it is not the "price surge" as rumored. The following is an analysis of the main cost components:

1. Significant Increase in Ocean Freight Costs

Since lithium batteries are classified as Class 9 dangerous goods, dedicated dangerous goods containers must be used. Since 2025, the supply of dangerous goods containers on the US routes has been tight, and the ocean freight cost is approximately 40%-60% higher than that of ordinary goods. The basic ocean freight for a 40-foot dangerous goods container (from Shanghai to Los Angeles) is about USD 6,000-8,000, an increase of approximately 20% compared with last year.

2. Rise in Mandatory Insurance Costs

Transportation of lithium batteries must be covered by dangerous goods transportation insurance. The insurance premium is approximately 0.3%-0.5% of the cargo value, an increase of about 10% compared with last year. Some insurance companies also require the provision of the UN38.3 test report for batteries.

3. Attention to New Customs Clearance Regulations

In 2025, U.S. Customs has implemented new regulations on lithium battery imports:

- The battery capacity (Wh) and lithium content (g) must be marked.

- All models must provide UL certification or corresponding safety test reports.

- Packaging must comply with the provisions of USPI Section 402.

Customs clearance agent fees are usually USD 200-300 per shipment higher than those for ordinary products.

4. Changes in Domestic End Costs

Domestic costs such as customs declaration, handling of dangerous goods packaging certificates, and transportation by dangerous goods vehicles have remained basically stable, but the storage fees for dangerous goods at some ports have increased.

Overall, the comprehensive cost (including freight and customs clearance) of exporting lithium batteries to the United States in 2025 is approximately 50%-70% higher than that of ordinary goods, and 15%-25% higher than that in 2024. It is recommended to confirm the availability of dangerous goods containers with freight forwarders in advance, set aside sufficient time to handle dangerous goods packaging certificates and transportation insurance, and select customs clearance agents with experience in dangerous goods operations to effectively avoid detention fines.

It should be noted that there are significant cost differences among different types of batteries (such as power batteries, energy storage batteries, and consumer batteries). The specific cost depends on the actual cargo value and model. It is recommended to consult professional dangerous goods freight forwarders about the latest policies before export.