All Nippon Airways (ANA), Japan’s largest 5-Star airline for 12 consecutive years, has become the first Japanese carrier to receive the International Air Transport Association (IATA) Center of Excellence for Independent Validators in Lithium Batteries (CEIV Lit-batt) certification on December 24, 2024. This rigorous certification program recognizes ANA’s commitment to the highest safety standards and compliance for the transport of lithium batteries.

With the growing use of lithium batteries in electric vehicles and other industries, particularly in Asian markets, the demand for safe transportation of potentially hazardous materials is rapidly increasing. ANA’s comprehensive lithium battery handling processes, including staff training, specialized equipment, safety protocols and quality control within the route networks, mainly at its international cargo hub at Narita International Airport, met IATA’s stringent certification requirements. This certification further strengthens ANA’s commitment to ensuring the safe and reliable transport of lithium batteries across its network.

“At ANA, our top priority is safety and the reliability of our services to our valued customers,” said Kenichi Wakiya, Executive Vice President, Cargo Marketing & Services of ANA and President & CEO of ANA Cargo.

“Being CEIV Li-batt certified by IATA reinforces our commitment to meeting our customer’s needs by providing the highest standards of safe transport.”

“We congratulate ANA on achieving CEIV Li-batt certification. This certification underscores ANA’s commitment to meeting the highest standards in handling and transporting lithium batteries safely and efficiently. The CEIV Li-batt program is vital for ensuring safety and compliance across the supply chain, and we are pleased to see ANA contributing towards raising the industry benchmark,” said Nick Careen, IATA SVP Operations Safety and Security.

In addition to the CEIV Li-batt certification, ANA has also earned IATA’s CEIV Pharma and CEIV Fresh certifications for its pharmaceutical and perishable transport. ANA remains dedicated to expanding its services and enhancing quality across all operations.